Heavy metals contamination from the oil spill incident in the Peruvian Sea, determined by k₀-INAA and AAS

Oil spills at sea, can have serious consequences for marine life. Oil can coat organisms, alter ecosystems, disrupt the food chain and cause long-term damage. Furthermore, spilled oil can contaminate coastlines, including sensitive habitats such as beaches and mangroves. Contamination by heavy metals and hydrocarbon can involve elements such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury which can accumulate in marine flora and fauna and eventually make their way up the food chain into humans. Other elements can also be harmful if present in high concentrations. Analytical techniques such as neutron activation analysis based int the k-zero method (k₀-INAA) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) can be used to study these elements and others. In this study, we analyzed two sediment samples, one from a site affected by oil spill and the other collected 125 km upstream from the spill to serve as control. Results from the contaminated sample were compared to the control sample and to the sediment guidelines, which are showed in this study. While arsenic, copper and lead showed concentrations above recommended thresholds, all heavy metal concentrations at the contaminated site (less arsenic) exceeded those at the control site. In addition, the concentration factor, enrichment factor and Igeo Index were also obtained which results are presented here.