Environmental Toxicology Research Program, National Center for National Product Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA.
Environ Monit Assess. 2012 Jan;184(2):1107-19. doi: 10.1007/s10661-011-2025-7. Epub 2011 Apr 15.
Hurricanes are relatively frequent ecological disturbances that may cause potentially long-term impacts to the coastal environment. Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast in August 2005, and caused a storm surge with the potential to change the trace element content of coastal surface sediments. In this study, surface estuarine and marine sediments were collected monthly following the storm from ten sites along the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Mobile Bay, Grand Bay Bayous Heron and Cumbest, Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, Biloxi Gulf, Back Biloxi Bay, Gulfport Gulf, Gulfport Courthouse Rd, and Gulfport Marina). Concentrations of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to evaluate their temporal and spatial variations in the year following Hurricane Katrina. Sediments were characterized by pH, particle size distribution and total carbon and nitrogen content. Trace element contents of the sediments were determined in both <2 mm and <63 μm grain size fractions. Results revealed no significant temporal and spatial variability in trace element concentrations, in either size fraction. Potential ecological risk of the sediments was assessed by using NOAA SQuiRTs' guideline values; most concentrations remained below probable adverse effects guidelines to marine organisms suggesting that trace elements redistributed by Hurricane Katrina would not cause an adverse impact on resident organisms. Instead, the concentrations of trace elements were site-dependent, with specific contaminants relating to the use of the area prior to Hurricane Katrina.
飓风是相对频繁的生态干扰事件，可能对沿海环境造成长期的潜在影响。卡特里娜飓风于 2005 年 8 月袭击了密西西比墨西哥湾海岸，引发了风暴潮，有可能改变沿海表层沉积物中的微量元素含量。在这项研究中，在风暴过后的一个月内，从密西西比墨西哥湾海岸（莫比尔湾、格兰德湾比尤斯赫伦和坎贝斯特、帕斯卡古拉、海洋泉、比洛克西湾、后比洛克西湾、格尔夫波特湾、格尔夫波特法院路和格尔夫波特码头）的十个地点每月收集一次河口和海洋表层沉积物。通过电感耦合等离子体质谱法测量 V、Cr、Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Zn、As、Cd 和 Pb 的浓度，以评估它们在卡特里娜飓风后的一年中的时空变化。通过 pH 值、粒径分布和总碳氮含量对沉积物进行了特征描述。在<2mm 和<63μm 粒径范围内测定了沉积物中的微量元素含量。结果表明，在两个粒径范围内，微量元素浓度均无明显的时空变化。通过使用 NOAA SQuiRTs 指南值评估了沉积物的潜在生态风险；大多数浓度仍低于对海洋生物可能产生不利影响的指南值，这表明卡特里娜飓风重新分配的微量元素不会对当地生物造成不利影响。相反，微量元素的浓度取决于特定地点，与卡特里娜飓风前该地区的使用情况有关。
