Sedimentary record of the impact of management actions on pollution of Cartagena bay, Colombia

The reconstruction of pollution in aquatic ecosystems is a useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of management actions. Cartagena Bay (Colombia, Caribbean Sea) is one of the most impacted coastal zones in Colombia by a wide variety of human activities. A sediment core was dated using 210Pb and u...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2021-11, Vol.172, p.112807, Article 112807
Main Authors: Espinosa-Díaz, Luisa F., Sánchez-Cabeza, Joan-Albert, Sericano, Jose Luis, Parra, Juan Pablo, Ibarra-Gutierrez, Karen P., Garay-Tinoco, Jesus Antonio, Betancourt-Portela, Julian Mauricio, Alonso-Hernández, Carlos, Ruiz-Fernández, Ana Carolina, Quejido-Cabezas, Alberto, Díaz-Asencio, Misael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic ecosystems
Aromatic compounds
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Cartagena bay
Coastal zone
Coastal zones
Colombia
Contamination
Core layers (water)
Heavy metals
Human influences
Industrial management
Industrial pollution
Lead isotopes
Management actions
Mercury
Metals
Pesticides
Pollutants
Pollution
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Resuspension
Sediment
Sediment pollution
Strategic management
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Summary:The reconstruction of pollution in aquatic ecosystems is a useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of management actions. Cartagena Bay (Colombia, Caribbean Sea) is one of the most impacted coastal zones in Colombia by a wide variety of human activities. A sediment core was dated using 210Pb and used to reconstruct the historical input of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorinated pesticides to the bay. The highest pollutant concentrations were observed in the deeper core layers. The maximum mercury concentration (18.76 μg g−1) was observed at 61 cm depth, corresponding to 1967, when a chlor-alkali plant was operating. Since all pollutant concentrations have decreased due to better industrial management policies, their presence is a potential contamination risk through sediment remobilization and pollutant resuspension. [Display omitted] •Cartagena Bay has received pollutant discharges recorded in dated sediments.•Levels of Hg increased in the 60s in Cartagena Bay with the Colombia Chlor-Alkali plant.•Dredging could remobilize pollutants and increase toxicity.•Industrial and environmental policies should support integrated coastal zone management.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112807