Pellegatti et al., Neutron activation analysis of sediments from Sepetiba Bay (RJ), Brazil

Neutron activation analysis applied to the determination of heavy metals and other trace elements in sediments from Sepetiba Bay (RJ), Brazil

Fábio Pellegatti (1), Ana M.G. Figueiredo (1)* and Julio C. Wasserman (2)

(1) IPEN-CNEN/SP, Caixa Postal 11049, CEP 05422-970, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
(2) Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Ambiental/Departamento de Geoquímica -UFF Outeiro de São João Batista s/no., Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, 24020-150, Brasil
*Corresponding author. e-mail: grafigue@curiango.ipen.br

Abstract
In this work, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to the determination of the elements As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb, Zn in twenty eight bottom sediment samples from Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With the concentration data obtained, contour maps were prepared, by using Kriging method, to show the spatial distribution of the studied elements in the Bay. The elements Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sc, Ta and Zn showed similar behaviour in the sediments, with higher concentrations along the northern coast of the bay, where the fluvial water inputs are concentrated. The distribution of U, rare earth elements and Ba in the Bay indicates that these elements are not deposited as contaminants.

Keywords: neutron activation analysis, heavy metals, trace elements, marine sediments.

Résumé
Dans ce travail, les éléments suivants, As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb et Zn ont été analysés par activation neutronique instrumentale dans vingt huit sédiments de fond de la baie de Sepetiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brésil. Par krigeage et à partir des concentrations obtenues, nous avons établi des cartes de la répartition spatiale des éléments étudiés dans la baie. Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sc, Ta et Zn ont des comportements similaires dans les sédiments, avec des concentrations plus importantes le long de la côte nord de la baie, où les apports en eau fluviale sont concentrés. La distribution en U, Terres Rares et Ba indique que ces éléments ne sont pas déposés comme polluants dans la baie.

Mots-clés : analyse par activation neutronique, métaux lourds, éléments en traces, sédiments marins.

Received 13 Nov 00 - Accepted 06 Jun 01

Geostandards Newsletter: The Journal of Geostandards and Geoanalysis
Vol. 25 No. 2-3 pp. 307-315 (2001)

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