Preference ratios for mercury and other chemical elements in the Madeira River, Brazil |
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| Authors: | Daniel Marcos Bonotto Ene Glria da Silveira |
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| Institution: | a Departamento de Petrologia e Metalogenia, Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas-UNESP (Univ. Est. Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho), Av. 24-A, No. 1515, CEP 13506-900, Rio Claro SP, Brazil;b Departamento de Geografia, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia-UNIR, Av. Presidente Dutra, No. 2965, CEP 78900-500, Porto Velho RO, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | Samples of water, suspended solids, and bottom sediments from the Madeira River, Rondônia state, Brazil, were physically and chemically analyzed to investigate the actual Hg mobilization in the aquatic environment and compare it with that of other heavy metals and elements in the area. Two dimensionless Hg preference ratios were defined, expressing (1) the ratio of Hg and other elements in the liquid phase divided by the ratio of Hg and other elements in bottom sediments (Pl.phase) and (2) the ratio of Hg and other elements in the particulate matter divided by the ratio of Hg and other elements in bottom sediments (Ps.solids). These preference ratios are useful for comparing Hg transport in three different phases (liquid, particulate matter, and bottom sediments). They also were applicable to any analyzed element in the area studied, because they generated an almost constant value when the maximum calculated was divided by the minimum (Pl.phase=2931; Ps.solids=84) and because of their sensitivity to the dominance of sorption processes by Fe oxides and hydroxides. Mercury could be transported preferentially to other analyzed elements in the particulate phase only if its concentration reached values at least 104-fold higher than those expected or quantified in the area. |
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| Keywords: | Mercury Water Sediments Chemical elements MobilizationAuthor Keywords: Mercú rio Á gua Sedimentos Elementos quí micos Mobilizaç ã o |
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