Study of metal concentration: al, na, fe and zn in fishes after red mud spill in murucupi river, Barcarena-PA

Abstract

In April 29, 2009, during the period of higher rainfall in the Amazon region, there was a rupture in the red mud containment basin of the company, which the undertaking by the Bayer process, bauxite benefits in alumina production, producing as a waste, the red mud, for containing highly toxic waste in their composition a large concentration of NaOH and trace elements with toxic potential. As result of leakage of red mud in the Murucupi River, there was the death of a great multitude of fishes, reptiles and phytoplankton that formed the biota. This work was carried out to evaluate metal concentration in fish killed in Murucupi River, collected soon after the environmental accident. The goal is to perform statistical comparison of the metal concentration in fish and water to assess the impact caused by toxic waste receiver that has polluted the ecosystem of the do pant material.