Geochemical and microfaunal proxies to assess environmental quality conditions during the recovery process of a heavily polluted estuary: the Bilbao estuary case (N. Spain)

The Science of the Total Environment
E LeorriI Yusta

Abstract

This study explores the eventual environmental improvement of the Bilbao estuary (northern Spain), from 1997 to 2006, in order to assess current estuarine restoration being undertaken as part of a Revitalization Strategic Plan. The monitoring programme is based on spatial and temporal variation in the distributions of both benthic foraminiferal assemblages and heavy metals contained in surficial sediments from the polluted intertidal flats. The overall pattern shows a decreasing metal concentration; however, reversals to this trend are noticed in the middle estuary. From 2000 to 2003, a significant decrease in heavy metal concentration was observed which is most likely related to the implementation in 2001-2002 of the biological treatment at a central wastewater treatment plant. Although the metal concentration decreased by 85% for some elements, these values still remain considerably high. No significant change occurred between 2003 and 2006 in metal concentrations. During the monitoring period the estuary channel presented environmental conditions close to azoic in 3/4 of its watercourse. Only in the year 2006, the two lowermost estuarine samples exhibited an increase in microfaunal densities. These samples were dominated by ...Continue Reading

References

Nov 18, 2005·Environment International·M C Casado-MartínezT A Delvalls
Feb 21, 2006·Water Research·José M García-BarcinaAlejandro De la Sota
Apr 4, 2006·Environment International·Stephanie McCreadyChristopher R Greely
Dec 26, 2006·The Science of the Total Environment·Robert G M SpencerGünther Uher

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Citations

Jun 15, 2010·Journal of Hazardous Materials·Silvia Fdez-Ortiz de VallejueloJuan Manuel Madariaga
Apr 13, 2010·The Science of the Total Environment·Jaime BonacheaAntonio Cendrero

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