Inputs of Total and Labile Dissolved Metals from Six Facilities Continuously Discharging Treated Wastewaters to the Marine Environment of Gran Canaria Island (Canary Islands, Spain)

Abstract

The presence of ten metals (Cd, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Al, Fe, Mn, and Co) was investigated in the final discharge of six facilities, including four wastewater treatment plants, which were continuously discharging treated wastewater to the coastal environment in Gran Canaria Island. A four-day sampling campaign was carried out at each facility in July 2020, in which both the spot samplings technique and the diffusive gradient in thin-film technique (DGT) were carried out to measure total dissolved metals and the in situ labile metal fraction, respectively. After the necessary sample preparation steps, measurements were carried out by ICP-MS for both samplings. Raw data referred to the spot total dissolved and DGT-labile metal concentrations were reported. In general, the average metal concentrations were dispersed in a broad range. As expected, the highest metal contents were found in those facilities with larger industrial contributions. The values of annual average environmental quality standards (AA-EQS) were used to assess the total dissolved metal concentrations for every metal in every final discharge. In only one of the studied facilities, some metals (Ni and Zn) exceeded these EQS within the receiving waterbody, highlighting the need for more efficient treatment targeted towards a specific discharging-water quality. In addition, the total dissolved and labile metal daily fluxes of discharge were calculated to estimate the contribution of every effluent to the receiving water bodies.