HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN WATER AND SEDIMENTS FROM AFFLUENTS AND EFFLUENTS OF MEDITERRANEAN CHILEAN RESERVOIRS

Abstract

RIVER flows have constant interaction between water and bed sediments; for this reason knowledge of the characteristics of the sediments is fundamental to understand water chemistry. This study determined the concentrations of heavy metals in water and sediments in the affluents and the effluents of the Mediterranean Chilean reservoirs Cogoti, Corrales, La Paloma, and Recoleta. We explore possible ecological risk and toxicity using the enrichment factor (EF), risk assessment code (RAC), threshold effect concentrations (TEC) and probable effect concentrations (PEC). The results showed that five metals: Al, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn out of the ten measured metals were detected in both surface water and the sediments. The risk assessment code (RAC) suggested that Fe represents a medium risk in the affluent of Cogoti Reservoir: Cu, Zn and Mn represent a medium to high risk in all the dams and in both zones (affluents and effluents). The enrichment factor (EF) determined that the five metals were lithogenic. Fe, Cu, and Mn are the elements that present the greatest toxicity to microorganisms in these aquatic systems.