Distribution and Normalization of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Mangrove and Lagoonal Sediments from Mazatlan Harbor (SE Gulf of California)

Concentrations of heavy metals, carbonates, organic carbon and granulometry were examined in sediments from 60 sites within Mazatl?n Harbor and adjacent areas. Regional distribution had a strong (for Al, Fe, Li and Ni) and weak (for Cd, Co, Cr, Pb, V and Zn) seaward concentration gradient decreasing from the upper lagoon. The highest concentrations for most metals occurred in fine-grained sediments from Infiernillo Estuary, the upper lagoon and the industrial zone. In contrast, lower levels were usually found in the sandy sediments of the navigation channel, port entrance and an area associated with sewage outfall. Analysis of transects in mangrove and lagoonal sediments indicated that the amount of fine material and organic carbon increases towards the margins where mangrove sediments exist. While metal variations were not clearly observed in most of the metals examined; only Ni, V, Pb and Cu showed a slight tendency to increase towards the margins. Sometimes lagoonal sediments had redox and texture characteristics comparable to those from mangrove substrate, thus competing because of a similar capture capacity of metals. Metal data were normalized against Al and Li using a combination of normalization techniques (95% prediction intervals, regional anomalies and enrichment factor). It was found that Al and Li were good normalizers for most of the examined metals and they are important constituents of one or more of the major fine-grained heavy metal carrier(s) and adequately reflect the granulometric variability in the sediments of the study area.