Dissolved and particulate metals dynamics in a human impacted estuary from the SW Atlantic

• Metal and physicochemical values found in seawater showed temporal variations.
• Physicochemical values correlated with metals, possibly affecting metal partitioning.
• Log10Kd values for Cu were higher than previous reports form the BBE.
• Cu values indicated a critical environmental status according to guidelines.

In order to evaluate metal behavior in urban stressed estuaries, the distribution of major elements (Fe and Mn) and trace elements (Cd and Cu) between suspended particulate matter (SPM) and subsuperficial seawater in the Bahía Blanca Estuary, Argentina, was studied. Four different impacted areas were selected to study the spatial and temporal distribution of these metals in an estuary in continuous industrial development and where an environmental law was implemented to supervise industrial discharges in waters. Sampling was performed within intertidal areas. Physicochemical conditions usually influence the partitioning of metals between the dissolved and particulate fraction thus, salinity, pH, turbidity, temperature and dissolved oxygen were also measured.Dissolved metals were analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and the particulate fraction with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Metals concentration ranges, within the dissolved fraction (μg/L), were from below the method detection limit for all the elements to 4.7 in the case of Cd, 6.0 for Cu and 62 for Fe. Minimum and maximum values in the particulate fraction (μg/g, d.w.) were from below the method detection limit to 11 for Cd; from 24 to 220 for Cu and from 630 to 1500 for Mn. For Fe, concentrations ranged from 2.2 to 9.6 (%). The general order of the dissolved/particulate partition coefficients (Log10Kds) for the studied metals, considering mean values, were: Fe (7.0) > Cu (4.2) > Cd (3.3).The metals values as well as the physicochemical parameters showed temporal variations and many correlations were found among them. Log10Kd Fe values were the highest, highlighting its strong affinity for particles. Metals concentrations were sometimes higher than those from other polluted areas as well as from previous studies from the same estuary, which highlights the potential impact of these elements in the study area.The concentrations of particulate metals achieved in the present work were in some cases of higher ranges than the previous from the same estuary and/or from other polluted estuarine environments. Thus, the environmental law that regulates the discharge of industrial waters appeared not to have a specific impact on the metals concentrations found. Moreover, human activities that surround the estuary and are in continue development should be considered as they might constitute a source of metals for the estuarine system.