GEOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN PORTS

Ports are semi-closed coastal marine areas characterized by high levels of vessel, urban and industrial activity. Consequently, they may be considered as contaminated areas and secondary polluting sources for their adjacent coastal area. Contaminants are accumulated in the water column and settled in the sea bed sediment matrix. This mechanism can cause chronic pollution levels leading to environmental degradation with a wide range of potential harsh impacts. Sediment acts as a physical trap of the pollutant load entering the marine ecosystem. Furthermore, it is well known that chemical compounds show a tendency to become strongly bound to fine sediment. Therefore, sediment analysis and monitoring can offer the means for studying long term pollution as well as identifying major pollutant sources and their association with the levels recorded.