Urban geochemistry and potential human health risks in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires: PAHs and PCBs in soil, street dust, and bulk deposition

Soil, street dust, and bulk deposition (dry and wet deposition) were collected in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (MABA), Argentina, to assess the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) pollution and the potential risks to human health. Compared with other countries, the mean concentration of PAHs and PCBs in surface soils, street dust and bulk deposition of MABA were at a low or moderate level. Average PAHs and PCBs concentrations in bulk deposition (5.7 ± 5.1 and 0.41 ± 0.25 µg g −1 , respectively) were five and ten times higher than those of soil (1.08 ± 0.98 and 0.02 ± 0.01 µg g −1 ) and street dust (1.2 ± 0.95 and 0.04 ± 0.03 µg g −1 ), respectively. Different compositional profiles, observed in the three matrices for both groups of contaminants, could be attributed to dissimilar source contribution, partition processes between gas and particulate phases, and transformation. The most contaminated bulk deposition presented higher values for cancer and non-cancer risks relative to soil and street dust. In all matrices, non-carcinogenic risks were below the safety threshold (HI < 1). Regarding carcinogenic risks, exposure to both bulk deposition and soil indicated a moderated potential for cancerous development (Incremental lifetime cancer risk ~ 3.0 × 10 −6 ).Fil: Cappelletti, Natalia Elsa. Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Astoviza, Malena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Morrone, Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tatone, Leandro Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentin

Dinámica de metales pesados en la laguna Inés (Bahía de Ñandubaysal, Río Uruguay)

Fil: Bilos, Claudio. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica (LAQAB). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Tatone, Leandro Martín. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica (LAQAB). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Skorupka, Carlos Norberto. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica (LAQAB). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Colombo, Juan Carlos. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica (LAQAB). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentin

Perfiles verticales de metales en sedimentos del Río Uruguay, Argentina

Fil: Tatone, Leandro Martín. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Bilos, Claudio. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica (LAQAB). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Skorupka, Carlos Norberto. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica (LAQAB). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Colombo, Juan Carlos. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica (LAQAB). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentin

Metabolic disrupting effects of polychlorinated biphenyls revealed by long-term temporal variations of lipids in detritivorous fish from the Rio de la Plata Basin

The long-term covariation (2002-2017) of lipids, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and sewage tracers was studied in the detritivorous fish (Prochilodus lineatus) and settling detritus from the Rio de la Plata. Fatty fish from polluted Buenos Aires area (BA) exhibited a significant decrease of muscle lipids (71 ± 12 to 29 ± 8.6% dry weight;p1 μg g-1dw). The 2017 individuals of the BA series converged with leaner and more pristine northern fish (N), which showed no significant temporal variation (20 ± 10% lipids, 67 ± 8.7% triglycerides, 41 ± 8.1% 18C-FA, and 0.22 ± 0.42 μg g-1dw PCB). In contrast, the fecal sterol tracer coprostanol remained abnormally higher in BA fish muscle with no significant temporal trend (120 ± 102 vs 6.6 ± 10 μg g-1dw or 4.4 ± 2.8 vs 0.63 ± 1.2% sterols at N). The same pattern was observed in BA settling detritus, i.e., a temporal decrease of PCBs with high, stable coprostanol concentrations denoting sustained sewage inputs, while northern detritus was enriched in plant sterols. This long-term covariation of lipids and PCBs in fish muscle from polluted BA converging with more pristine and homogeneous northern specimens while maintaining a sewage-derived diet provides rare field evidence of the declining effect of PCBs controlling the temporal variation of muscular lipids in fish.Fil: Speranza, Eric Demian. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Tatone, Leandro Martín. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Migoya, Maria Carolina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Colombo, Juan Carlos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentin

Riesgo para la salud asociado a las partículas atmosféricas en el área metropolitana de Buenos Aires

Con el objetivo de evaluar los riesgos para la salud relacionados con la exposición al polvo atmosférico se colectaron muestras de material sedimentable en la región más poblada e industrializada de Buenos Aires. Las partículas sedimentables se colectaron mediante el método Bergerhoff, simultáneamente se tomaron muestras de suelo y sedimento vial. Se determinaron: metales pesados, hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos (HAP) y bifenilos policlorados (BPC). Para evaluar el riesgo de efectos no cancerígenos se estimaron las dosis de exposición oral, dérmica e inhalatoria para niños y adultos y se las comparó con sus respectivas dosis de referencia, obteniendo un cociente de peligro (HQ). Finalmente se estimó un índice de peligro (HI) para cada sitio como suma de los HQ. Las concentraciones fueron comparables a las halladas en otros sitios urbanos. Aunque los metales en suelos se encontraron por debajo de los niveles guías nacionales de calidad para uso residencial, son superiores a los Canadienses. Con respecto a los PAH y PCB, presentaron concentraciones en suelo inferiores a ambas normas, salvo fenantreno y Benzo(b) Fluoranteno. En los tres compartimientos se observó un nivel diferencial de peligro (Suelo &gt;sedimento vial &gt;partículas), siendo HI &gt;1 para la exposición de niños al suelo y sedimento vial.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Metal geochemistry in suspended and bed sediments in the eutrophic lowland Salado River basin (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The Salado River is a lowland river that drains a vast and productive region of central Argentina into the Río de la Plata estuary. To evaluate water quality and the geochemistry of major and trace metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni), water and sediments samples were collected along 500 km of the Salado River basin (n = 21). Waters were highly alkaline (pH: 8.8 ± 0.4), saline (5.2 ± 1.8 mS/cm), turbid (467 ± 237 NTU) and eutrophic (chlorophyll a: 187 ± 119 µg/l) with a decreasing gradient towards the river mouth reflecting the contribution of alkaline ground waters and eutrophication at the river head. Suspended particles (70–595 mg/l) were enriched in total organic carbon, nitrogen (5–7 times) and metals (1–4 times) relative to bed sediments, but metal concentrations were 2–10 times below the world river’s average. Consistently, metal concentrations in bed sediments were lower than sediment quality guidelines with an increasing downriver trend following the enrichment of clays. The enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo), calculated with local background metal levels from the deepest layers of a dated sediment core, indicate a general prevalence of natural metal sources (EF < 1.5) with unpolluted sediments (Igeo ≤ 0), excepted for the Chivilcoy stream, which showed a significant enrichment of Zn, Cu and Pb (EF = 2–12; 0 ≤ Igeo ≤ 1) constituting a clear pollution hot spot in the basin.Fil: Tatone, Leandro Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Heguilor, Santiago. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Speranza, Eric Demian. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Skorupka, Carlos Norberto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Colombo, Juan Carlos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentin

Urban geochemistry and potential human health risks in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires : PAHs and PCBs in soil, street dust, and bulk deposition

Soil, street dust, and bulk deposition (dry and wet deposition) were collected in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (MABA), Argentina, to assess the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) pollution and the potential risks to human health. Compared with other countries, the mean concentration of PAHs and PCBs in surface soils, street dust and bulk deposition of MABA were at a low or moderate level. Average PAHs and PCBs concentrations in bulk deposition (5.7 ± 5.1 and 0.41 ± 0.25 µg g−1, respectively) were five and ten times higher than those of soil (1.08 ± 0.98 and 0.02 ± 0.01 µg g−1) and street dust (1.2 ± 0.95 and 0.04 ± 0.03 µg g−1), respectively. Different compositional profiles, observed in the three matrices for both groups of contaminants, could be attributed to dissimilar source contribution, partition processes between gas and particulate phases, and transformation. The most contaminated bulk deposition presented higher values for cancer and non-cancer risks relative to soil and street dust. In all matrices, non-carcinogenic risks were below the safety threshold (HI < 1). Regarding carcinogenic risks, exposure to both bulk deposition and soil indicated a moderated potential for cancerous development (Incremental lifetime cancer risk ~ 3.0 × 10−6).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Trace Metals in Settling Particles from the Sewage Impacted Buenos Aires Coastal Area in the Río de la Plata Estuary, Argentina

Sediment traps deployed in Buenos Aires sewage outfall area collected a substantial amount of material (average mass flux 22 ± 12 g cm² year⁻¹) with very high metal concentrations, mostly in the range of hazardous exposition for organisms (Zn: 138–671, Cu: 41–273, Cr: 44–255 and Pb: 26–260 μg g⁻¹). The combination of high mass fluxes and concentrations results in huge metal fluxes (0.005–0.7 to 3.6–31 g m⁻² day⁻¹ for minor elements and Fe, respectively). Metal concentrations were correlated to the total mass flux and total organic carbon but with different trends for redox-sensitive Fe and Mn (negative) and anthropogenic elements (positive). This reflects the key role of organic discharges promoting anoxia with Fe and Mn evasion, and also contributing toxic metals.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Comparative approach for trace metal risk evaluation in settling particles from the Uruguay River, Argentina: enrichment factors, sediment quality guidelines and metal speciation

The source and potential risks of trace metals in settling material collected with sediment traps in the Uruguay River were evaluated utilizing enrichment factors (EF), sediment quality guidelines (SQG) and speciation using a 4-step sequential extraction procedure. The total organic carbon content of the settling material was relatively high and homogeneous (2.5 ± 0.3 %) and showed no correlation with the metal concentrations. Total trace metal concentrations decrease from Fe (48,969 ± 7380 µg g⁻¹), Mn (1859 ± 233 µg g⁻¹), Zn (84 ± 7.6 µg g⁻¹), Cu (56 ± 6.9 µg g⁻¹), Cr (19 ± 2.7 µg g⁻¹), Ni (16 ± 2.0 µg g⁻¹) and Pb (13 ± 1.2 µg g⁻¹). The average EF of Zn, Cr, Ni and Pb are below 1.5 indicating natural sources, whereas those of Cu and Mn are consistently higher (EF > 2) insinuating some anthropogenic influence. Consistently, Cu concentrations duplicated the SQG (35.7 μg g⁻¹) suggesting that adverse biological effects may be observed occasionally. However, speciation results revealed that most metals are associated with the residual fraction, strongly linked to the mineral matrix, and therefore unavailable to aquatic organisms. The sole exception is Mn which is mainly found in the non-residual fractions (∑F1 − F3 = 82 %). Trace metal mobility/bioavailability decreased from Mn (82 %) ≫ Pb (37 %) > Cr (26 %) ~ Ni (25 %) > Zn (20 %) > Cu (14 %) > Fe (10 %). These results demonstrate the utility of metal speciation studies to assess the real risk for aquatic organisms of high Cu concentrations, but associated to relatively immobile fractions of reduced bioavailability.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Bioaccumulation of dioxin-like PCBs and PBDEs by detritus-feeding fish in the Rio de la Plata estuary, Argentina

A comparative analysis of bioaccumulation behavior of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dlPCBs) and polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was conducted involving simultaneous measurements in settling particles and a detritivorous fish (Sabalo, Prochilodus linneatus) collected in the sewage impacted Buenos Aires coastal area. Focalization of dlPCBs and PBDEs along the detritus food chain is reflected by a 30–40-fold increase of dry weight PBDE and dlPCB concentrations from settling particles to fish (1.8 ± 1.0 to 58 ± 31 and 6.8 ± 3.9 to 281 ± 155 ng g−1 dry weight (dw), respectively). In this transference, dlPCB congeners presented more conservative patterns than those of PBDEs, basically due to debromination of BDE 99 and 153 to BDE 47 in fish. Lipid/organic carbon-based biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) ranged between 5 and 20 (7.3 ± 3.0 and 16 ± 8.0 for PBDEs and dlPCBs). Congener-specific BSAF of dlPCBs suggested a lower bioavailability of more planar non-ortho-PCB versus mono-ortho-PCB suggesting higher affinity to organic matter. BSAFs of PBDEs differed markedly among bromine homolog groups, supporting the biotransformation-formation from higher brominated to lighter congeners. The log BSAFs-log KOW relationship of dlPCBs and PBDEs presented a parabolic pattern maximizing at log KOW 6–7, but PBDE curve differs reflecting biotransformation processes.Fil: Cappelletti, Natalia Elsa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Speranza, Eric Demian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Tatone, Leandro Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Astoviza, Malena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Migoya, Maria Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Colombo, Juan Carlos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Química Ambiental y Biogeoquímica; Argentin