Gaetana Quaranta

Anthropogenic and natural metal contents of coastal sediments with potential transfer to associated waters: the case of El Melah lagoon near Slimane, Tunisia

Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr and Co pollution of El Melah lagoon waters near the city of Slimane in northwestern Tunisia was evaluated relative to identified human activity and waste repositories in the neighborhood. These metals were measured in lagoon waters and sediments, and in the potential pollutants, during two consecutive years for evaluation of their impact on the lagoon waters. A sequential extraction of the metals from sediments was designed to distinguish those potentially anthropogenic from those naturally scavenged by the sediments. This procedure allowed identification and quantification of the metals that are temporarily trapped, therefore contributing directly to the ecotoxicity of the lagoon waters, from those incorporated in the sediments. The highest supplies of Cr and Co to the lagoon waters come from El-Bey creek waters, while the wastewater treatment plant contributes for most of the Zn, and the urban garbage deposit for most of the Ni. Alternatively, the impact of the cultivated soils is minimal for the studied metals. In fact, Zn and Ni contents of the sediments amount 100 to 20 times less than in the present water, which is negligible. Cr is potentially the most polluting with contents up to ten times more in the sediments of the eastern lagoon pool and next to the outlet of the wastewater plant than in the waters. Potentially, contents of the anthropogenic Cu of the sediments amount 3–15 times less than in the lagoon waters.

The life cycle impact assessment applied to the Domingo Rubio tidal system by the study of seasonal variations of the aquatic eutrophication potential.

The innovative technique of Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) applied to dynamic environmental systems has been recently developed. In this work we investigate a complex system, the Domingo Rubio tideland (Huelva, Spain), where a tidal marsh and a continental lagoon converge. This wetland, catalogued as Natural Park by the Andalusia government, is subjected to a high eutrophicant pressures related to the strawberry culture and the inputs coming from industrial wastes. NO(2)(-), NO(3)(-) and PO(4)(3-) were analyzed in 41 water samples, obtaining values up to 100mg L(-1) Σ(NO(2)(-), NO(3)(-)) and 18.5mg L(-1) PO(4)(3-). All these values exceed the accepted levels by the European Environment Agency. N/P ratios and the Aquatic Eutrophication Potentials (AEP) for N and P showed a constant imbalance of the system. During one tidal cycle, the tidal channel can have both N and P as limiting nutrient (P is the limiting nutrient during low tide and N is during high tide) and there exists an alternation of AEP domination too between N and P in the continental area, what points to an excess of both nutrients all over the study area, and to the necessity of diminishing the nutrient inputs and a higher control on these pollution sources as well.