Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6329376 | Science of The Total Environment | 2014 | 7 Pages |
â¢Fragments of paint have been sampled from abandoned boats in eastern England.â¢XRF analysis of fragments reveals variable concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn.â¢Local contamination of sediment is attributed to peeling paint.â¢Pb is of greatest concern from both environmental and human health perspectives.
Fragments of flaking paint have been sampled from eighteen boats (including sailing barges, houseboats, a trawler and a ferry) abandoned on the intertidal mudflats of two estuaries in eastern England and analysed for Cu, Pb and Zn by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. Median concentrations of Pb on each boat ranged from about 350 to 35,000 μg gâ 1, with individual concentrations exceeding 200,000 μg gâ 1 in several cases. Median concentrations of Cu and Zn ranged from about 50 to 1900 μg gâ 1 and 50 to 10,000 μg gâ 1, respectively, with respective maxima of 172,000 μg gâ 1 and 239,000 μg gâ 1. Because of peeling paint, local sediment (analysed by ICP following acid digestion) was often measurably contaminated by the metals and, based on median, Al-normalised enrichment factors, in the order Pb > Zn > Cu. Due to its abundance and persistence in old paints, Pb is of greatest concern from both environmental and human health perspectives.