Evaluation of the sediment quality of the suches river using multivariate analysis methods
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Rev. Bol. Quim
Abstract
Evaluación de la calidad de los sedimentos del río tales utilizando métodos de análisis multivariante. La intensificación de las actividades mineras artesanales genera alteraciones sobre los componentes ambientales en la zona alta de la cuenca Suches. La evaluación de la contaminación por metales pesados adquiere especial relevancia ya que éstos son transportados por los sedimentos a través de los cuerpos de agua. En este estudio se recolectaron muestras de sedimentos en cinco puntos del río Suches durante cinco meses y se determinaron las concentraciones de cromo (Cr), cobre (Cu), níquel (Ni), plomo (Pb) y zinc (Zn) por Espectrometría de Masas con Plasma Acoplado Inductivamente (ICP-MS). La contaminación de los sedimentos se evaluó mediante la comparación con normativas internacionales, el cálculo del índice de contaminación geoquímica (Igeo) y la aplicación de métodos estadísticos multivariados. La aplicación de los métodos analíticos dio el siguiente orden decreciente de concentraciones, Zn > Ni > Cr > Cu > Pb con valores por debajo de lo estipulado por la Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG). El Igeo reveló que Cr y Pb se encuentran en la clasificación no contaminante en todos los puntos de muestreo, excepto en PM1 donde Pb pertenece a la clase no contaminante a moderadamente contaminante. Cu y Zn mostraron contaminación moderada, mientras que Ni presentó contaminación moderada a fuerte. Asimismo, Ni presentó fuerte asociación con Cr y Zn y el análisis factorial reveló dos componentes principales (PC): Cr, Ni y Zn (PC1), además de Cu y Pb (PC2). Se concluye que la contaminación por metales pesados en los sedimentos superficiales del río Suches tiene origen natural y también antropogénico.
The intensification of the artisanal mining activities generates alterations on the environmental components of the upper zone of the Suches basin. The pollution evaluation due to heavy metals is relevant because these are transported by sediments through bodies of water. In this study, sediment samples have been collected in five sampling sites of the Suches River throughout the span of five months and the concentrations of Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) were determined through the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The sediments pollution was evaluated by comparing to regulations, the calculation of the geochemistry pollution index and the application of multivariate statistical methods. The application of the analytical methods gave the following decreasing order of concentrations, Zn > Ni > Cr > Cu > Pb with values below that is stipulated by the Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG). Igeo revealed that the Cr and Pb values are in the unpolluted class in all the sampling sites, except for PM1 where Pb belongs to the unpolluted to moderately polluted class. Cu and Zn show moderate pollution, while Ni is in the moderately to heavy polluted class. Similarly, Ni presents a strong association with Cr and Zn. The factor analysis reveals two principal components (PC): Cr, Ni and Zn (PC1) and Cu y Pb (PC2). It is concluded that the contamination by heavy metals in the superficial sediments of the Suches River has a natural and anthropogenic origin. *Mail to: dsalasm@unap.edu.pe
The intensification of the artisanal mining activities generates alterations on the environmental components of the upper zone of the Suches basin. The pollution evaluation due to heavy metals is relevant because these are transported by sediments through bodies of water. In this study, sediment samples have been collected in five sampling sites of the Suches River throughout the span of five months and the concentrations of Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) were determined through the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The sediments pollution was evaluated by comparing to regulations, the calculation of the geochemistry pollution index and the application of multivariate statistical methods. The application of the analytical methods gave the following decreasing order of concentrations, Zn > Ni > Cr > Cu > Pb with values below that is stipulated by the Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG). Igeo revealed that the Cr and Pb values are in the unpolluted class in all the sampling sites, except for PM1 where Pb belongs to the unpolluted to moderately polluted class. Cu and Zn show moderate pollution, while Ni is in the moderately to heavy polluted class. Similarly, Ni presents a strong association with Cr and Zn. The factor analysis reveals two principal components (PC): Cr, Ni and Zn (PC1) and Cu y Pb (PC2). It is concluded that the contamination by heavy metals in the superficial sediments of the Suches River has a natural and anthropogenic origin. *Mail to: dsalasm@unap.edu.pe
Description
Vol. 40, No. 2