Environmental Geochemistry of Anthropogenic Lead in Estuarine Sediments of the Jamapa River, Mexico

Abstract

The combustion of alkyl-lead gasolines was the primary anthropogenic source of Pb in the second half of the twentieth century. Previously deposited Pb-aerosols enriched the organic matter and Fe-oxi-hydroxides phases of soils, which long after continue being transported downstream to be an important source of Pb into the ocean. Geochemical partition of Pb was determined in estuarine sediments of the Jamapa River, southern Gulf of Mexico, by the Tessier's sequential extraction protocol. The residual fraction, conformed by siliciclastic particles, contain the highest proportion of Pb (8.6 μg/g = 70%), been the main source into the ocean. However, as the organic carbon and Fe,MnO(OH) fractions, together summed the 26% of total Pb in samples, so, it is assumed that previously deposited anthropogenic Pb, from alkyl-lead gasolines, still is an important source of this element, that is transported by the Jamapa River, enriching the coastal area.

Keywords: Gulf of mexico; Sequential extraction; Trace element geochemistry; Veracruz.