Arsenic enrichment in sediments and beaches of Brazilian coastal waters: a review
Article
Article Title | Arsenic enrichment in sediments and beaches of Brazilian coastal waters: a review |
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ERA Journal ID | 3551 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Baeyens, Wiley (Author), Mirlean, Nicolai (Author), Bundschuh, Jochen (Author), de Winter, Niels (Author), Baisch, Paulo (Author), Rodrigues da Silva Junior, Flavio Manoel (Author) and Gao, Yue |
Journal Title | Science of the Total Environment |
Journal Citation | 681, pp. 143-154 |
Number of Pages | 12 |
Year | 2019 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Place of Publication | Netherlands |
ISSN | 0048-9697 |
1879-1026 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.126 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969719321515 |
Abstract | High concentrations of total arsenic (As), even above the Brazilian legislative threshold for marine sediments of 70 mg kg−1, were found in beach sands and near-shore surface sediments. Two mechanisms (anthropogenic activities and sedimentary processes in the coastal waters) are responsible for this contamination. The anthropogenic impact includes releases from metallurgical plants, phosphate fertilizer plants and gold and iron mining. In the coastal area sedimentary processes redistributed the As from the sediment into the porous structure of calcareous marine algae. These enriched calcareous algae are transported over time to the beach by wave action. As in the Brazilian coastal environment, increased As levels were also observed in other coastal environments of South America such as Rio Loa (Chile), Barbacoas Bay (Colombia) and the Southern Pampa region (Argentina). Finally, arsenic levels in fish from Brazilian coastal waters and North Sea, which is also an As-contaminated area, were compared. In both areas, short term health effects from fish consumption are not expected, but a lifetime cancer risk cannot be excluded. |
Keywords | arsenic, sources, enrichment mechanism, coastal environment, Latin America |
Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 410402. Environmental assessment and monitoring |
410404. Environmental management | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | Vrije University Brussels, Belgium |
Federal University of Rio Grande, Brazil | |
School of Civil Engineering and Surveying | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q5998/arsenic-enrichment-in-sediments-and-beaches-of-brazilian-coastal-waters-a-review
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