Distribution of trace metals and Pb isotopes in bottom sediments of the Murucupi River, North Brazil

• Published in: International journal of sediment research Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 226 - 236
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Diomar Cavalcante, Lafon, Jean Michel, de Oliveira Lima, Marcelo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-09-2016; Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Pará, Brazil%Environmental Section, Evandro Chagas Institute, Pará, Brazil
• Subjects: Barcarena; Bottom sediments; Murucupi River; Pb isotopes; Trace metals; 同位素分布; 同位素特征; 巴西; 微量元素; 微量金属; 河底沉积物; 河流沉积物; 铅同位素组成; Bottom sediments; Murucupi River; Barcarena; Pb isotopes; Trace metals
• ISSN: 1001-6279
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsrc.2016.05.001

The Murucupi River belongs to the hydrographic network of the Para River estuary, at the southern portion of the Amazon River mouth, which consists of a fluvial-marine transitional zone under strong impact of both tidal and fluvial currents. The geochemical results obtained for bottom sediments from the Murucupi River, the Arrozal Channel, and the Para River indicate a natural variation of Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni content among these water ways with no significant anthropogenic influence. According to the threshold effects level （TEL）, the contents of trace metals do not offer risk to the local biota. By contrast, the differences in the Pb isotopic composition of sediments in the Murucupi River, the Arrozal Channel, and the Para River are significant. These isotopic signatures indicate an anthropogenic contribution of Pb in the Murucupi River originating from the domestic effluents of urban centers; industrial waste represented by red mud is not included. These results demonstrate that the Pb isotopic signature is a prospective indicator for future contamination of bottom sediments by trace metals and is useful for identifying contaminants among the possible anthropogenic sources.