CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME TRACE-METALS FROM THE EXPORT PROCESSING ZONEAND A COASTAL TOURIST AREA IN MAURITIUS USING INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY
Rt. Ramessur et al., CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME TRACE-METALS FROM THE EXPORT PROCESSING ZONEAND A COASTAL TOURIST AREA IN MAURITIUS USING INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY, Environment international, 24(7), 1998, pp. 773-781
The concentrations of six trace metals - chromium, nickel, copper, zin
c, cadmium, and lead (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) were determined in t
he freshwater system at Flic en Flac and upstream and downstream Grand
River North West (GRNW) to assess the impact of hotel and industrial
activities of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Mauritius during 199
6-1997. The trace metals Cr and Pb exceeded the proposed revised pollu
tion limit in either river or marsh at Flic en Flac and upstream and d
ownstream GRNW. Cr, Zn, and Pb were significantly higher in rainwater
compared to upstream GRNW values, indicating that airborne lead and zi
nc are significant from vehicle emissions. The concentration of Cr inc
reased about two-fold downstream GRNW. For comparison purposes, Cr was
about two-fold significantly higher downstream GRNW compared to downs
tream Flic en Flac, indicating the release of effluents containing chr
omates by the textile industries in the EPZ. The contamination of rain
water by airborne lead and zinc was significant and considered to aris
e from the heavy use of leaded petrol and lubricating oils containing
zinc additives. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.