Sediment Quality Assessment in the Gulf of Gdask (Baltic Sea) Using Complementary Lines of Evidence

• Published in: Environmental management (New York) 2009-06, Vol.43 (6), p.1313-1320
• Main Authors: Bettinetti, Roberta, Galassi, Silvana, Falandysz, Jerzy, Camusso, Marina, Vignati, Davide A, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Benthic environment; Bioaccumulation; Brackish; Chemicals; Chemistry; Cluster analysis; Coastal environments; Communities; Contaminants; Contaminated sediments; Ecosystems; Environmental management; Environmental monitoring; Gulfs; Inland waters; Marine ecology; Metal concentrations; Organic carbon; Organisms; Pollutants; Quality assessment; Risk assessment; Salinity; Sediments; Trace elements; Trace metals; Water pollution
• ISSN: 0364-152X; 1432-1009
• DOI: 10.1007/s00267-008-9267-3

Sediments from Polish coastal environments were classified by a quality assessment approach that took into account trace metal and organic micropollutant concentrations, grain-size distribution, and organic carbon content. Generally, no benthic organisms were found at sites where sediments were classified as heavily polluted. However, areas characterized by a moderate contamination showed a variable composition of the benthic community and changing bioaccumulation patterns; therefore, no single species found in the Gulf of Gdask could be considered representative of the whole benthic environment. Although sediment monitoring must be considered a suitable tool to detect hot-spot pollution areas in coastal and inland waters, it should be complemented by bioaccumulation measurements to evaluate the actual risk posed by contaminants to benthic organisms. This 'biological information' allows a better appreciation of the real benthic infaunal community exposure to chemicals and can usefully complement the existing sediment quality guidelines.