Contributions of Wetland Plants on Metal Accumulation in Sediment

Marelé A. Nel, Gletwyn Rubidge, Janine B. Adams and Lucienne R. D. Human
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Marelé A. Nel: Department of Botany, DSI/NRF Research: Shallow Water Ecosystems, South Campus, Nelson Mandela University, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
Gletwyn Rubidge: Department of Chemistry, Summerstrand North Campus, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
Janine B. Adams: Department of Botany, DSI/NRF Research: Shallow Water Ecosystems, South Campus, Nelson Mandela University, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
Lucienne R. D. Human: Department of Botany, DSI/NRF Research: Shallow Water Ecosystems, South Campus, Nelson Mandela University, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: Wetlands, and especially salt marshes, are well-known sinks of metals, which limit toxic amounts of metals from entering the food chain. This study investigated metal concentrations (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in a highly urbanised estuary, and compared vegetated rhizosediment ( Salicornia tegetaria , Spartina maritima , and Zostera capensis ) with bare sediment, in a depositional and non-depositional site, in the intertidal zone of the Swartkops Estuary. The samples were collected at two sites along the middle and lower reaches of the estuary and analysed using a Total X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometer. It was found that the rhizosediment contained more metals and that metal concentrations in the sediment decreased as follows: S. tegetaria > S. maritima > Z. capensis > bare sediment. Although metal accumulation was similar in bare sediment for the depositional (Site B) and the non-depositional site (Site A), the rhizosediment displayed higher metal accumulation in the depositional site (Site B). However, regardless of site-specific depositional tendencies, rhizosediment displayed higher metal accumulation than bare sediment. These results indicate that vegetated sites and vegetated depositional sites should be the focus of monitoring metals in estuaries around the world.

Keywords: metal pollution; Swartkops Estuary; TXRF; salt marsh; seagrass; wetland plants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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