Metals and metaloid preserved in marine sediments of an industrial complex of central Chile. Environmental assessment using different background values

Abstract

This work examines the distribution of metals(oid) in coastal sediments of the Concon-Quintero industrial complexes (central Chile), and evaluates the environmental condition of this zone, using some environmental indexes and different global and local background values.The Index of geoaccumulation and the Enrichment Factor were different depending on the background values used to calculate them. Only Mo and Pb, simultaneously show both an enrichment, and some degree of pollution problem, with all backgrounds utilized. Three of the four background values used in this work to calculates the Pollution Load Index suggests a polluted condition of the bottom environment. The spatial distribution, the results of environmental indices and the comparison with local environmental legislation suggests that Pb is introduced to the marine system by industrial activities. The result of both, SQG and m-ERM-Q suggest that metals preserved in the sediments are a threat to the benthic life, especially in the Concon-Ritoque zone, where the highest values were recorded.These results suggest a notorious influence of the Aconcagua river on the metal accumulation in the coastal zone.

Keywords

• Metals
• Marine sediments
• Marine pollution
• Chile