Interaction of Suspended Particulate Material with Cd2+ and Pb2+ in a Brazilian Lagoon Estuarine System

The suspended particulate material (SPM) present in waters has fundamental importance for a better understanding of environmental behaviors of aquatic pollutants.This work determined the physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, conductivity, total organic carbon and metals concentration) in water samples from Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine-lagoon system, Alagoas, Brazil.This work extracted and characterized the organic matter present in SPM in this estuary and studied the interaction of this organic matter with potentially toxic metals (Cd 2+ and Pb 2+ ).The results of the physical-chemical parameters evaluated showed influence of the tide and also of anthropic contributions close to the estuary.In fact, the lead concentrations determined (0.10-1.32 mg L -1 ) are well above that allowed by Brazilian legislation (< 0.010 mg L -1 ).The organic matter present in the SPM showed a high degree of humification being similar to the organic matter extracted from water and showed strong interaction by Pb 2+ ions.