Trace elements in the marine sediments of the la Paz Lagoon, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico: Pollution status in 2013

Habacuc Pérez-Tribouillier, Evgueni Shumilin, Griselda Margarita Rodríguez-Figueroa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

To determine the actual concentrations of trace elements in surface sediments from the La Paz Lagoon, as well as their associations and possible origins, 91 sediment samples were analyzed for more than 50 elements using a combination of ICP-MS and ICP-AES. The results of a principal component analysis are used to distinguish four associative groups within the elements. Natural enrichment of As, Cd and U occurs due to the supply of weathered phosphorites from the El Cien formation located to the north-west of the lagoon. Sediment quality indices for potentially toxic trace elements do not show any probable impact on the biota of the lagoon. Only the concentrations of As in 30 % of the stations and Cu in 20 % of them exceed related effect range low levels. The highest concentration of Pb (36.8 mg kg-1) was measured in the sediments near the City of La Paz.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)61-66
Number of pages6
JournalBulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Volume95
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 8 Jul 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Baja California peninsula
  • La Paz Lagoon
  • Pollution status
  • Sediments
  • Trace elements

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