Assessing the ecological risk of heavy metal sediment contamination from Port Everglades Florida USA.

ABSTRACT: Port sediments are often contaminated with metals and organic compounds from anthropogenic sources. Remobilization of sediment during a planned expansion of Port Everglades near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA) has the potential to harm adjacent benthic communities, including coral reefs. Twelve sediment cores were collected from four Port Everglades sites and a control site; surface sediment was collected at two nearby coral reef sites. Sediment cores, sampled every 5 cm, were analyzed for 14 heavy metals using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Results for all three locations yielded concentration ranges (µg/g): As (0.607-223), Cd (n/d-0.916), Cr (0.155-56.8), Co (0.0238-7.40), Cu (0.004-215), Pb (0.0169-73.8), Mn (1.61-204), Hg (n/d-0.736), Mn (1.61-204), Ni (0.232-29.3), Se (n

SUBMITTER: Giarikos DG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10655720 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature