HEAVY-METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN LITTORAL SEDIMENTS FROM THE BEAGLE CHANNEL, TIERRA-DEL-FUEGO, ARGENTINA

For the first time the concentration of trace metals (Fe, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd and total Hg) of sediments from the coastal zone of the Beagle Chan nel (Tierra del Fuego, in Southern Argentina) were measured. Atomic ab sorption spectrophotometry was utilized in order to determine the meta l contents. The level of metals as observed in the sediments was recog nized as the natural background, even though the use of normalization of lead, copper, and zinc to iron allowed the identification of the ma in sources of metal pollution for this environment. In order to develo p future environmental monitoring programmes for the area of Ushuaia c ity and the Beagle Channel, the present results need to be considered.