Determinação de metais pesados em sedimentos estuarinos do Espírito Santo – Maputo, Moçambique (época chuvosa)

Abstract

Estuaries are aquatic ecosystems where freshwater from rivers meets saltwater from the sea. These locations are of great importance for marine biodiversity and even for humans. This study presents the determination of heavy metals in sediments from the Espírito Santo Estuary during the rainy season in Maputo, Mozambique. Sediment samples were analyzed using XRF and ICP methods, identifying and determining the levels of the following metals: As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn. The levels obtained experimentally were compared with the limits established by the WHO, and most of the metals presented concentration levels above the permissible limit, except for As and Pb. The results from the rainy season were compared with those from the dry season, and an increase in the levels of most metals was observed during the rainy season, except for Zn and Cu, which showed a decrease in levels during the rainy season. Overall, these results show that the Espírito Santo Estuary is polluted, posing a risk to local biodiversity and human health.