Assessment of historical heavy metal content in healing muds from San Diego river (Cuba) using nuclear analytical techniques

• Main Authors: Oscar Díaz Rizo, Alina Gelen Rudnikas, Katia D´Alessandro Rodríguez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centro de Gestión de la Información y Desarrollo de la Energía (CUBAENERGIA) 2013-01-01
• Series: Nucleus
• Subjects: sedimentos, análisis por fluorescencia de rayos x, metales pesados, usos terapéuticos, plomo 210, ríos, cuba
• Online Access: http://nucleus.cubaenergia.cu/index.php/nucleus/article/view/581

Behavior of heavy metals (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb) content in -dated healing mud profiles from San Diego river outlet (western Cuba) has been studied using X-ray fluorescence analysis. Iron-normalized enrichment factors indicate the Co, Ni, Cu and Zn natural origin (Enrichment Factor » 1), reflecting a low anthropogenic impact to the area in the last 100 years. A minor lead enrichment (EF = 2) in the last few decades was determined. The heavy metal levels in most recent mud (0-5 cm, on mg.kg-1 dry weight) were: Co = 18 ± 2, Ni = 62 ± 8, Cu = 52 ± 2, Zn = 72 ± 4 and Pb = 28 ± 2. The comparison with reported Earth’s upper crust average shales and muds, and with data reported for different muds used for medical purposes shows that heavy metal content in San Diego River mud is suitable for its use with therapeutic purposes.