Heavy metal concentrations and availability in the bottom sediments of the Paraiba do Sul‐Guandu river system, RJ, Brazil

Abstract

Metal concentrations were determined in bottom sediments from the River Paralba do Sul‐Guandu, (PSR‐GR), an important social and industrialized ecosystem, to evaluate the degree of pollution impact in comparison with other contaminated water bodies and to provide a better understanding of the availability of the metals to biological cycles and any health effects on the population living in the region. Three metals (Pb, Cu and Zn) out of eight discharged by the local industrial park were considered the most critical in the area.