Preprint
Mercury Enrichment in Peruvian Mangrove Sediments
SSRN Electronic Journal, Vol.ahead-of-print
SSRN
29/01/2023
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Abstract
Mercury (Hg) enrichment in Peruvian mangrove sediments was assessed within impacted mangrove of Puerto Pizarro (PP), affected by shrimp farming, mining activities and urban expansion and within the Mangrove Sanctuary of Tumbes (MS). Hg concentrations within PP (291 to 177 ng g-1) associated to the Pollution Index (PI) (1.6) evidenced Hg toxicity, exceeding the sediment quality Effect Range Low (ERL) (150 ng g-1). Concentrations within MS (135 to 17 ng g-1) were below ERL and within the range of natural Hg levels reported for Peruvian marine sediments. Based on the estimated average background Hg concentrations within MS sediments (70 ng g-1), PP sediments presented enrichment factors up to 3.2. Hg concentrations within MS were significantly and positively correlated with silt and clay contents (r = 0.66) and reactive Fe concentrations (r = 0.70), while Hg concentrations within PP showed no significant correlations. This study presents the first estimative of Hg concentrations for mangroves located in the distribution boundary of the eastern south Pacific. Finally, this study highlights the role of mangrove ecosystems as natural biogeochemical barriers limiting the transport of Hg into nearest coastal ecosystems.
Details
- Title
- Mercury Enrichment in Peruvian Mangrove Sediments
- Creators
- Alexander PérezWilson MachadoBreno RodriguesChristian Sanders - Southern Cross UniversityVictor de FreitasAnderson RochaChristiane DuyckAdan LinoOlaf Malm - Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroJorge CardichRodolfo Salas-GismondiDiana OchoaMatthieu Carré
- Publication Details
- SSRN Electronic Journal, Vol.ahead-of-print
- Publisher
- SSRN
- Identifiers
- 991013085610702368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Preprint