Endmember analysis of heavy-metal pollution in surficial sediments from the Gulf of Gdansk and the southern Baltic Sea off Poland

Thirty one bulk (<2 mm) samples of surficial sediments from the Gulf of Gdansk and the Southern Baltic Sea off Poland were analyzed for 20 elements and the resulting compositional dataset was subjected to endmember analysis. The compositions of 4 endmember estimates were constructed and the abundances of these endmembers were calculated for each sample. Copper, Zn and Ag appear on one endmember and Cd and Pb on another. This suggests that Cu, Zn and Ag are introduced into the Gulf of Gdansk principally from the Vistula River whereas Cd and Pb are introduced as a result of atmospheric and riverine transport of these elements. The dual source of Cd and Pb into the Gulf of Gdansk may explain the complex interelement relationships displayoed by these elements in the sediments from this region.