Trace metals in antifouling paint particles and their heterogeneous contamination of coastal sediments

Antifouling paint residues collected from the hard-standings of a marine leisure boat facility have been chemically characterised. Scanning electron microscopy revealed distinct layers, many containing oxidic particles of Cu and Zn. Quantitative analysis indicated concentrations of Cu and Zn averaging about 300 and 100 mg g⁻¹, respectively, and small proportions of these metals (<2%) in organometallic form as pyrithione compounds. Other trace metals present included Ag, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Sn, with maximum concentrations of about 330, 75, 1200, 780, 1800 and 25,000 μg g⁻¹, respectively. Estuarine sediment collected near a boatyard contained concentrations of Cu and Zn an order of magnitude greater than respective concentrations in “background” sediment, and mass balance calculations suggested that the former sample was contaminated by about 1% by weight of paint particles. Clearly, antifouling residues represent a highly significant, heterogeneous source of metallic contamination in the marine environment where boating activities occur.