Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Assessing The Ecological Risk Of Heavy Metal Sediment Contamination From Port Everglades Florida, Dimitri G. Giarikos, Laura White, Amy C. Hirons

SECLER Data

Port sediments are often contaminated with metals and organic compounds from anthropogenic sources. Port dredging can remobilize contaminated sediments, resulting in harmful impacts to the benthic community. Twelve sediment cores were collected from four Port Everglades, Florida sites and a control site; surface sediment was collected at two nearby coral reef sites. Sediment cores, sampled every 5 cm, were quantified for 14 heavy metals using induced coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Geo-accumulation index shows moderate-to-strong contamination of As and Mo in port sediments, and potential ecological risk indicates moderate-to-significantly high overall metal contamination. Arsenic port sediment concentrations exceed threshold effect …