265 p.[EN]In the year 2000 the broadest ranging and most specific programme of measures relating to water ever known in Europe, the European Water Framework Directive, EWFD, was implemented across the Community. In compliance with the Directive, Member States of the European Union must implement the Directive and ensure the Good Ecological Status, (GES) of their waters by the year 2015.
Amongst the water bodies mentioned in the Directive, river estuaries are of special importance, not only because of their notable social and economic value but also because of their significant ecological value. The Nerbio-Ibaizabal river estuary suffered the negative effects of the surrounding area's economic development for many years, in which time chemical pollution accumulated endlessly in the estuary water and sediment. As a result of a general plan to restore the river estuary, however, the situation is gradually improving.
As part of the implementation of the WFD, surveillance monitoring was carried out in the Nerbio-Ibaizabal river estuary, with water and sediment samples collected every 3 months between April 2008 and October 2010. Trace element concentrations in the sediment were determined, along with several other physicochemical properties.
The datasets obtained in these three years, as well as similar data gathered by our research group between January 2005 and January 2008, were used in their entirety. The whole data matrix was analysed using different methods (statistical, graphic and chemometric techniques, amongst others) with a view to assessing the spatial and temporal variability of pollution and identifying possible pollution sources, amongst various other objectives.
At the same time, with respect for green chemistry, cleaner, safer and faster alternative analytical methods based on non-destructive spectroscopic techniques were developed for the determination of trace elements in sediment
