Regresar

Niveles de Metales Pesados en Sedimentos Superficiales en Tres Zonas Litorales de Venezuela

Abstract:

To evaluate the water quality along the continental shores of Venezuela, where fishing communities exploit the clam Tivela mactroides, the concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cd, Ni, Pb y Cr) was determined in superficial sediments, together with environmental factors (temperature, salinity, dissolved O2, pH, phytoplanctonic biomass, seston, and total N and P) of the litoral waters of Playa Güiria on the northeastern coast (Sucre State), and of Río Chico and Boca de Paparo (Miranda State), two localities on the central coast separated by some 5km and influenced by the Tuy River. In Río Chico, and mainly in Boca de Paparo, the concentration of heavy metals in the sediments (>18μg·g-1 Cu, >3μg·g-1 Cd, >5μg·g-1 Cr, >0.9μg·g-1 Pb, >11μg·g-1 Ni) and the environmental factors (>28°C, <5.6ml·l-1 dissolved O2, >55mol·l-1 total N, >17μmol·l-1 total P) indicated the presence of polluted systems. This environmental damage was linked to the influence of the Tuy River, which flows into the sea at Boca de Paparo. The values for heavy metals were higher than the values reported 14 year ago. In Playa Güiria the values determinated did not show environmental contamination (0.03μg·g-1 Cu; 0.5μg·g Cd and no Cr, Pb or Ni were detected). Shore cleanup at Boca de Paparo and Río Chico is recommended, as these locations have dangerous sanitary and environmental conditions. Environmental conditions at Playa Güiria allow for Tivela mactroides fishing.