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Arsenic and Mercury Contamination of Sediments of Geothermal Springs, Mangrove Lagoon and the Santispac Bight, Bahía Concepción, Baja California Peninsula

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Abstract

In order to find out the environmental impact on the coastal zone, the composition of sediments of the intertidal geothermal hot spring zone and adjacent area of Playa Santispac in the pristine Bahía Concepción (Baja California peninsula) was studied. High concentrations of As (13–111 mg kg−1) and Hg (0.55–25.2 mg kg−1) were found in the sediments of the geothermal sources. Arsenic and Hg concentrations decrease rapidly in the adjacent small mangrove lagoon sediments and reach background levels (0.7–2.6 mg kg−1 and 6–60 μg kg−1 respectively) in the marine sediments collected in front of Playa Santispac.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas-Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN s/n, colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apdo postal 592, 23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

    María Luisa Leal-Acosta & Evgueni Shumilin

  2. Oceanography Geological Laboratory, Oceanography Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil

    Nicolai Mirlean

  3. V.I. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    Dmitry Sapozhnikov

  4. P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    Vyacheslav Gordeev

Authors
  1. María Luisa Leal-Acosta
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  2. Evgueni Shumilin
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  3. Nicolai Mirlean
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  4. Dmitry Sapozhnikov
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  5. Vyacheslav Gordeev
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Correspondence to María Luisa Leal-Acosta.

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Leal-Acosta, M.L., Shumilin, E., Mirlean, N. et al. Arsenic and Mercury Contamination of Sediments of Geothermal Springs, Mangrove Lagoon and the Santispac Bight, Bahía Concepción, Baja California Peninsula. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 85, 609–613 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-0135-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-0135-5

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