Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in clams and sediments from an impacted estuary by the oil industry in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico: Concentrations and bioaccumulation factors

Abstract

With the objective of estimating the temporal variation and bioavailability of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in Coatzacoalcos estuary, the biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAF) were calculated. For this purpose, surficial sediments and clams from 14 selected sites were collected during three climatic seasons. In surficial sediments, highest levels of Cd and Cu were measured during the rainy season near to the industrial area of Minatitlán, while highest concentrations of Pb and Zn were registered during the windy season in sediments collected near to the industrial area of Coatzacoalcos. Considering all the sampling seasons and bivalve species, average metal concentrations followed the order Zn > Cu > Cd > Pb. BSAF ranged from 0.01 (Pb) in Corbicula fluminea during the hot season to 25.1 (Cd) in Polymesoda caroliniana during the windy season. BSAF of Cd, Cu and Zn were higher during the windy season; in the case of Pb, the dry season was the time when such figure was more elevated. It can be stated that Polymesoda caroliniana is a net accumulator of Cd and Zn and a weak accumulator of Pb for the studied estuary.

Keywords:

• Trace metals
• surficial sediments
• bivalves
• Coatzacoalcos estuary
• biota-sediment accumulation factor

Acknowledgments

To Z. Castillo-Rodríguez, for her help with the taxonomic identification of clams; A. Castro del Río, for granulometric analyses; H. Bojórquez-Leyva, for his collaboration during the trace metal determinations; C. Ramírez-Jáuregui, for the compilation of bibliographic information; G. Ramírez-Reséndiz, for the computing assistance. Thanks are due to CONACYT for financial support through project SEMARNAT-CONACYT-2004-C01-32.

Notes

*, control site.

*, control site; D, dry; R, rainy; W, windy.