Distribution and Enrichment of Silver and Cadmium in Coastal Sediments from Bahía Todos Santos, Baja California, México

Silver, cadmium and iron were studied in sediment from Bahia Todos Santos, Baja California, México during 2004. Results showed that the spatial distributions of these metals were very similar to that of organic carbon and fine grain size, with values increasing from the inner to the outer parts of the bay. High concentrations and enrichments of silver (0.051-0.071 μg g⁻¹ dry weight) and cadmium (1.9 μg g⁻¹ dry weight) in Bahía Todos Santos were associated to harbor dredging activities and to coastal upwelling, respectively. However, the distribution of silver and cadmium in most of the study area is controlled by grain size and organic carbon content.