Mercury in surface sediments associated with shipyard activity in the city of Gdansk

The aim of the present work was to elucidate if a long tradition of the shipyard activity has an influence on a status of mercury contamination of the surface sediments and port watercourse of the city of Gdansk. Concentrations of total mercury (Hg) were determined in surface (0-10 cm) sediments collected from the area of the shipyard canals in the city of Gdansk in 1996. Only a relatively small variations in spatial distribution of mercury in surface sediments examined were found, and the range of concentrations was from 300 to 1300 ng/g dry weight. Despite of relatively high mercury concentrations determined in surface sediments examined the overall range of the values was of the same order of magnitude as indicated earlier in samples collected from the Old Motlawa River and the Dead Vistula River Channel (Martwa Wisla) from the administrative area of the city of Gdansk in 1993-1995. The results did indicate that the shipyard activity doesn't has any impact on mercury load of the sediment in surrounding canals. The source of pollution with mercury in the canals investigated can be a storm water washing out various surfaces both from the urbanised area and including the shipyards of the city of Gdansk.