Fate and distribution of toxic heavy metals in sediments and organisms of the Kaštela Bay

Abstract

       Sample of sediments and marine organisms from diffe­rent sampling points of Kaštela Bay were analysed on several toxic heavy metals. This Bay is probably the most polluted area of Dalmatia.

       The results obtained by two different analytical technicques, NAA, and AAS, show extremly high concentrations toxic trace elements in upper levels of sediments as a consequence of pollution from different industrial plants located on the coast of the Bay.

         Extremely high mercury concentrations were recorded in Mytilus galloprovincialis (up to 17 ppm FW) at the sta­tions near PVC and chloralkaly industry. These concentra­tions considerably exceed these values in organisms from any other region of the Adriatic.