RT journal article
T1 Contamination Assessment of Sediments and Bivalves in Estuaries of the Southern Iberian Peninsula
A1 Bonnail, Estefanía
A1 Cruz-Hernández, Pablo
A1 Antón-Martín, Rocío
A1 Riba López, Inmaculada
A1 Valls Casillas, Tomás Ángel del
A2 Química Física
K1 bioaccumulation
K1 bioaccumulation factor
K1 clams
K1 contamination degree
K1 human activities
K1 sediments pollution
AB Human activities directly impact estuaries, where the biota is exposed to sediment contamination. A contamination assessment was carried out in several estuaries in the Southern Iberian Peninsula. Sediment samples were analyzed for the presence of metals/metalloids, and bioaccumulation tests were conducted with clams (Ruditapes philippinarum). Huelva Estuary had the highest contamination levels, while the inner bay of Cádiz and the outer stations of the estuaries from Guadiana, Guadalquivir, Palmones, and Guadarranque were the lesser contaminated. All sampling points (except Huelva) had low contamination levels of As and Cd, but they had high concentrations of Cu. The elements Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, As, and Hg displayed correlations between the concentrations in sediments and the biota. High bioaccumulation of Zn, Cu, and As was observed in Huelva and Barbate. Important insights into the sediment contamination in Southern Iberian Peninsula estuaries suggest greater management and conservation efforts in these critical ecosystems.
PB Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
SN 2077-1312
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/35872
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/35872
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 10-nov-2026