SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.52 suppl.2PCB contamination in surface sediments in the coastal waters of Costa RicaPCB contamination in marine sediments from Golfo Dulce, Pacific coast of Costa Rica author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Journal

Article

Indicators

Related links

Share


Revista de Biología Tropical

On-line version ISSN 0034-7744Print version ISSN 0034-7744

Abstract

SPONGBERG, Alison L. PCB concentrations in sediments from the Gulf of Nicoya estuary, Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 2004, vol.52, suppl.2, pp.11-22. ISSN 0034-7744.

Thirty-one sediment samples collected from 1996-2003 from the Gulf of Nicoya estuary on the north- western coast of Costa Rica, have been obtained for PCB analyses. This is part of the first study to evaluate the PCB contamination in coastal Costa Rica.Overall, the concentrations are low, especially when compared to sediments from more temperate climates and/or sediments from more heavily industrialized areas. Values average less than 3 ng/g dw sediment, however, a few samples contained up to 7 ng/g dw sediment. Sediments with the highest concentrations were located in the Punta Morales area, where muds were sampled from among mangrove roots. The Puntarenas samples had surprisingly low PCB concentrations, likely due to their sandy lithology. The congener distribution within the majority of the samples showed signs of either recent sources or lack of degradation. However, a few sites, specifically some of the inter-gulf islands and more remote samples had congener distributions indicative of airborne contaminants and/or degradation. Considering the presence of air-borne PCBs in the Gulf of Papagayo to the north, the lack of airborne PCBs and more varied congener distribution in the Gulf of Nicoya estuary was surprising

Keywords : Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB); organic contamination; Gulf of Nicoya estuary; Costa Rica.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English

 

Creative Commons License All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License