Anthropogenic input of heavy metals from a dump site on a semi-arid region in the Northeast of Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Araújo, Jane Azevedo de
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Souza, Raquel Franco de
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Geografia (Londrina)
• Texto Completo: https://ojs.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/geografia/article/view/10022
• topic: Sedimentos de corrente; Índice de Geoacumulação; Fator de Enriquecimento; Açude; Parelhas.

The aim of this work was to investigate the anthropogenic input of heavy metal to the environment in the area of a dump site in the city of Parelhas/RN and in a section of Seridó River. The concentration of Aluminum (Al), Cadmium (Cd), Cooper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn) in the samples of sediments collected was determined by the use of an Atomic Absorption Spectophotometer - Flame AAS. The Geoaccumulation Index (IGEO) ranges from unpolluted to Al, Ni and Pb, and unpolluted to moderately polluted to Cd, Zn, Cr, Cu and Fe. The nearest point to the dump site (PC3.1) was classified as unpolluted to moderately polluted to Cr and Fe. There is enrichment in Cd, but it is not significant. The Enrichment Factor (EF) provided additional information about a dam called Caldeirão, presenting moderate enrichment to Pb, Cr, Fe and Zn in their sediments. Both IGEO and EF presented decreasing values as long as the stream sediments were collected in places far from the city of Parelhas (PS3 à PS2 à PS1).