Sediment chemical contamination of a shallow water area close to the industrial zone of Porto Marghera (Venice Lagoon, Italy)

Zonta, Roberto; Botter, Margherita; Cassin, Daniele; Pini, Roberto; Scattolin, M.; Zaggia, Luca

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.09.024

Cited by 74 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Mercury is a highly toxic metal and these high concentrations need to be investigated further to assess the present sources and pathways of this metal in Nemrut Bay. Such high Hg contamination was observed in the Venice Lagoon (0.5-11.9 mg/kg dry weight) (Zonta et al 2007). It is only noted as high Hg contamination in this study and excluded from further evaluation so as to be addressed in future research.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 65%

Assessment of trace metal pollution in surface sediments of Nemrut Bay, Aegean Sea

Esen

Küçüksezgi̇n

Uluturhan

2008

Environ Monit Assess

103

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Surface sediments collected from nine stations in Nemrut Bay, Aegean Sea were analyzed for trace metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Fe, As, and Mg) and grain sizes. The results were compared with the numerical sediment guidelines used in North America as well as literature values reported for similar studies conducted in Izmit Bay and Izmir Bay. The metal levels were also evaluated according to the enrichment factor and contamination factor analyses. The analyses revealed significant anthropogenic pollution of Hg, Pb, Zn, and As in the surficial sediments of Nemrut Bay.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 65%

Assessment of trace metal pollution in surface sediments of Nemrut Bay, Aegean Sea

Esen

Küçüksezgi̇n

Uluturhan

2008

Environ Monit Assess

103

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“…Like the hydrogeological settings of other lagoons (e.g., Santos et al, 2008), the silty-clayey layer marking the boundary between the marine Holocene and continental Pleistocene deposits precludes or at least reduces the vertical leakage of the salt waters downward into the un- derlying freshwater aquifers. However, a large petrochemical industrial district, the PMIZ, has been in operation since the 1950s at the lagoon-mainland interface, representing the main source of soil and water pollution around the area (e.g., Zonta et al, 2007). Despite an almost 50 km long cut-off wall built up along the canal banks of the PMIZ to prevent discharge of contaminated waters into the lagoon (Paris et al, 2011), results from chemical analyses provided evidence of a high content of Hg, Zn, and other metals in the bottom sediments and pore water not only in front of the industrial site (Gieskes et al, 2015), but also at distance.…”

Section: Main Insightsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrogeological effects of dredging navigable canals through lagoon shallows. A case study in Venice

Teatini

Isotton²,

Nardean

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. For the first time a comprehensive investigation has been carried out to quantify the possible effects of dredging a navigable canal on the hydrogeological system underlying a coastal lagoon. The study is focused on the Venice Lagoon, Italy, where the port authority is planning to open a new 10 m deep and 3 km long canal to connect the city passenger terminal to the central lagoon inlet, thus avoiding the passage of large cruise ships through the historic center of Venice. A modeling study has been developed to evaluate the short (minutes), medium (months), and long (decades) term processes of water and pollutant exchange between the shallow aquifer system and the lagoon, possibly enhanced by the canal excavation, and ship wakes. An in-depth characterization of the lagoon subsurface along the channel has supported the numerical modeling. Piezometer and sea level records, geophysical acquisitions, laboratory analyses of groundwater and sediment samples (chemical analyses and ecotoxicity testing), and the outcome of 3-D hydrodynamic and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models have been used to set up and calibrate the subsurface multi-model approach. The numerical outcomes allow us to quantify the groundwater volume and estimate the mass of anthropogenic contaminants (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Pb, Se) likely leaked from the nearby industrial area over the past decades, and released into the lagoon from the canal bed by the action of depression waves generated by ships. Moreover, the model outcomes help to understand the effect of the hydrogeological layering on the propagation of the tidal fluctuation and salt concentration into the shallow brackish aquifers underlying the lagoon bottom.

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“…The direct discharges from the industrial zone of Porto Marghera are largely recognized as the main source of the pollution for the Lagoon (e.g., (Pavoni et al 1988;Frignani et al 1997;Bernardello et al 2006;Carrer and Leardi 2006;Zonta et al 2007)). Porto Marghera is one of the most important industrial districts of Italy and includes chemical and metallurgical activities, oil-refining and storage, shipbuilding, incineration and thermoelectric power plants burning coal, gas and refuse derived fuel, wastewater treatments, hazardous waste incineration and other factories.…”

Section: Source Of Contamination: Industrial Zone Of Porto Margheramentioning

confidence: 99%

Harmful Elements in Estuarine and Coastal Systems

Khan

Masiol

Hofer

et al. 2014

PHEs, Environment and Human Health

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Estuaries and coastal zones are dynamic transitional systems which provide many economic and ecological benefits to humans, but also are an ideal habitat for other organisms as well. These areas are becoming contaminated by various anthropogenic activities due to a quick economic growth and urbanization. This chapter explores the sources, chemical speciation, sediment accumulation and removal mechanisms of the harmful elements in estuarine and coastal seawaters. It also describes the effects of toxic elements on aquatic flora and fauna. Finally, the toxic element pollution of the Venice Lagoon, a transitional water body located in the northeastern part of Italy, is discussed as a case study, by presenting the procedures adopted to measure the extent of the pollution, the impacts on organisms and the restoration activities.

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Sediment chemical contamination of a shallow water area close to the industrial zone of Porto Marghera (Venice Lagoon, Italy)

Cited by 74 publications

References 32 publications

Assessment of trace metal pollution in surface sediments of Nemrut Bay, Aegean Sea

Assessment of trace metal pollution in surface sediments of Nemrut Bay, Aegean Sea

Hydrogeological effects of dredging navigable canals through lagoon shallows. A case study in Venice

Harmful Elements in Estuarine and Coastal Systems

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