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Metal distribution in marine sediments of the Mar Piccolo in Taranto (Ionic Sea, southern Italy)

TitleMetal distribution in marine sediments of the Mar Piccolo in Taranto (Ionic Sea, southern Italy)
Publication TypeArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsCalace, N., Cardellicchio N., Ciardullo S., Petronio B.M., Pietrantonio Massimiliana, and Pietroletti M.
JournalToxicological and Environmental Chemistry
Volume90
Pagination549-564
ISSN02772248
KeywordsBenthic sediments, Bioavailability, Chemical forms, concentration (composition), Eurasia, Europe, Fulvic (FA) acids, fulvic acid, Grain-size distribution (GSD), H igh concentrations, Italy, Mar Piccolo, Marine ecosystems, marine sediment, Marine sediments, Mercury(III), metal, Metal complexation, Metal contamination, Metal distributions, Metal pollution, Metal speciation analysis, Mussel culture, Organic matter (OM), Puglia, sediment contamination, Sediment distribution, sediment pollution, Selected metals, Sequential extraction methods, Southern Europe, spatial distribution, Spatial distribution of, speciation (chemistry), Statistical analysis (IGC: E4/K7), Taranto, Total organic carbon (TOC)
Abstract

The spatial distribution of selected metals (Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Hg and Cd) and their partition in the different chemical forms (speciation) were determined in benthic sediments from Mar Piccolo, Taranto (Ionic Sea, southern Italy). The aim of this study was to assess the degree of sediment contamination and bioavailability of metals, very important for Italian mussel culture, in a semi-enclosed marine ecosystem. In sediments, grain size distribution, total organic carbon (TOC), and humic (HA) and fulvic (FA) acids contents were also determined. The compounds TOC, HA and FA, in fact, have a great influence on metal complexation. High concentrations of copper, lead, zinc and mercury were found, especially in sediments of the first inlet of Mar Piccolo. Statistical analysis of results shows significant correlation among Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations and the influence of organic matter on the sediment distribution of Cu, Pb and Zn. Metal speciation analysis, carried out with sequential extraction method, shows that Fe and Ni are present in sediments mainly as sulphides. Mn and Pb are present principally in an ion-exchangeable form or bound to carbonate and Cu is associated to organic matter. Metal pollution index (MPI), calculated as a weighed mean of the metal contamination factors in each station, shows that with regard to Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, some stations investigated are unpolluted (MPI <1), whereas in other areas, pollution level is not very high. On the contrary, for mercury, the pollution level in the first inlet of the basin is very high. © 2008 Taylor & Francis.

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URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-47949106570&doi=10.1080%2f02772240701570420&partnerID=40&md5=af6c406ab1e4fe29e555fa1dbed97d88
DOI10.1080/02772240701570420
Citation KeyCalace2008549