Journal of Coastal Zone Management

Abstract

Metals Pollution Status in Surface Sediments along the Sepetiba Bay Watershed, Brazil

Aldo Pacheco Ferreira and Maria de Fátima Ramos Moreira

www.omicsonline.org/open-access/water-level-fluctuation-as-the-sum-of-environmental-and-anthropogenicactivities-in-southeast-punjab-india-2161-0525-1000298.phpCoastal areas provide important benefits to humans in terms of food resources and ecosystem services. At the same time, human activities can have significant negative impacts on the health of ecosystems. Thus, control of pollution of watersheds, as well as necessary, it is essential to reduce and systematically eliminate today impactful consequences that are evident in marine and estuarine ecosystems. The present study investigated the extent of metals distribution at Sepetiba bay watershed. Five sampling sites were selected for the analysis of surface sediments. Samples were collected from February 2013 to September 2014 and analysed for the concentrations of As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Co, using ICP. For control, some samples were used in uncontaminated areas outside the direct effect from chemical industries. The data indicate that the sediments in the research sites are contaminated. However, the levels found, although near the limits are shown below the maximum permitted concentrations established by Brazilian reference. The result of this study can be used to intervene in the pollution Sepetiba bay watershed, guiding direct actions in the effluents discharged by industries as well as in environmental management.