Risk of heavy metals and their compounds pollution in Port Gdynia waters

The Baltic Sea is one of the world’s largest brackish water areas and an ecologically unique ecosystem.The Port of Gdynia is a universal modern port specializing in handling of general cargo, mainly unitized cargo transported in containers and in a ro-ro system. Ships traffic in the Port of Gdynia has increased in recent years. Many of ships carry cargo that could severally impact coastal ecosystems if accidentally released. The sea water is influenced by heavy metals and their compounds that originate from both natural and anthropogenic origins. This paper discusses the concentration of heavy metals and their compounds in the Gdynia Port waters. It is based on data collected during the period from 2000 to 2019. The samples were tested and analyzed to find concentration of cadmium, lead and zinc. The level of contamination is lower than the Polish standards. Samples taken from the port area water are non-polluted, and the analysis shows that all metals are within the limits.

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Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MEiN, umowa nr SONP/SP/546092/2022 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2022-2023).