Effect of environmental variables on mercury accumulation in sediments of an anthropogenically impacted tropical estuary (Buenaventura Bay, Colombian Pacific).

ABSTRACT: Estuaries are the main entry areas of mercury to the marine environment and are important to understand the effect of this contaminant on marine organisms, since it accumulates in the sediments becoming available to enter the food trophic chain. This study aims to determine the environmental variables that mainly influence the spatiotemporal dynamics of total mercury accumulation in sediments of tropical estuaries. Sediment samples were collected from interior and exterior areas of the estuary during the dry and rainy seasons, representing the spatiotemporal gradients of the estuary. The grain size, organic matter content (OM), and total mercury concentration (THg) of the sediment samples were determined. In addition, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH of the water column asso

SUBMITTER: Molina A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10575815 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature