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Spatial distribution and consequences of contaminants in harbour sediments – A case study from Richards Bay Harbour, South Africa
Summary
Surface sediments from Richards Bay Harbour in South Africa were analyzed for microplastics, metals, and microfaunal assemblages, finding that microplastics concentrated near recreational areas while heavy metals were elevated near bulk goods terminals, with sediment core analysis documenting historical metal contamination and bioindicator stress at contaminated sites.
Richards Bay Harbour (RBH) is situated in the industrialized area on the northeast coast of South Africa. To decipher recent human activities and accompanying environmental degradation, surface sediment was collected across RBH and analysed for granulometric and elemental composition, microfaunal assemblages, and microplastics. Microplastics occur most abundantly near recreational areas, whereas metal contamination relates to activities at bulk goods terminals from which they are imported or exported. In particular, Cr and Cu concentrations in surface sediment near bulk goods terminals exceed South African sediment quality guidelines. In metal contaminated sediment, bioindicators reflected stress and were noticeably impacted. A transect of short sediment cores reflects spatial and historical metal contamination and allows quantification of the load of metals within the sediment column. The volume of metal (Cr) contaminated sediment was estimated at almost 2 million m.