Assessment of Cu, As, Pb, Zn and Fe Enrichment in Intertidal Sediments Along the Atacama Coast, Northern Chile
by
, , , , , , and
Estefanía Bonnail
1
,
Edgardo Cruces
1,
John Santibáñez
1,
Juan Manuel Muñoz
2,
María Isabel Prudencio
3,
María Isabel Dias
3,
Rosa Marques
3,
Manuel Abad
4,
Tatiana Izquierdo
4 and
Francisco Ruiz
5,6,*
1
Centro de Investigaciones Costeras-Universidad de Atacama (CIC-UDA), University of Atacama, 1531772 Copiapó, Chile
2
Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Reina Mercedes, s/n, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
3
Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares (DECN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, E.N. 10 (km 139.7), 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal
4
Departamento de Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología (ESCET), Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
5
Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Huelva, Avda. Tres de Marzo, s/n, 21071 Huelva, Spain
6
Centro de Investigación en Patrimonio Histórico, Cultural y Natural (CIPHCN), Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de Huelva, Avda. Tres de Marzo s/n, 21071 Huelva, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Minerals 2026, 16(6), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16060643
Submission received: 15 April 2026
/
Revised: 13 June 2026
/
Accepted: 16 June 2026
/
Published: 18 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Pollution and Remediation in Mining Areas)
Abstract
Textural and geochemical analysis of intertidal sediments in the southern Atacama region makes it possible to identify sites primarily affected by mining-related pollution, based on a multivariate statistical analysis of the concentrations of five elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Pb) and their geoaccumulation indices. These concentrations are not correlated with grain size, which is dominated by the sandy fractions. Spearman’s matrix and principal component analysis make it possible to distinguish between two groups of elements (group A: Fe-Cu-As; group B: Zn-Pb), with a strong correlation between them (ρ ≥ 0.51; p < 0.01) and the first two components explain 96.3% of the variance. Three heavily polluted sites (Playa Blanca, Bahía Sarco and Chañaral de Aceituno; Igeo Cu > 8) have been identified linked to waste from the washing of tailings, a copper smelter and frequent boat trips. In addition, four moderately polluted sites (Playa Grande, Balneario Caldera, the mouth of the Copiapó River and Carrizal Bajo; 1.7 < Igeo Cu < 8; 1.2 < Igeo Pb < 2.6), mainly due to activities associated with mining and oil refineries, have been identified.
1. Introduction
Recent advances in coastal sedimentology and marine geochemistry have shown that contamination patterns in coastal and intertidal environments are strongly influenced by sedimentary and hydrodynamic processes, including episodic sediment supply, remobilization, and limited preservation potential. Sediment transport dynamics, the energy regime and human activity inland influence the distribution of benthic communities, the alteration of sedimentary facies and even the spatial and temporal expression of metal contamination in coastal systems [1,2,3,4]. These land–sea transition zones have been subjected to increasing anthropogenic pollution from mining and industrial discharges, agricultural effluents, landfills, untreated wastewater, uncontrolled aquaculture, domestic sources and port activities, among others [5,6,7,8,9,10]. One of the effects of these interventions is an increase in metals and metalloids in coastal sediments, which can cause serious damage to the environment and enter the food chain through processing by plants or by sediment-eating animals, with a consequent danger to humans due to the ingestion of contaminated food [11,12,13,14].
Some of the most studied chemical elements are Fe and, in particular, Cu, Pb, Zn and As, which are potentially toxic elements (PTEs) for human health [15,16,17]. Various indices are used to measure the degree of contamination of these coastal sediments, such as the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), with a prior calculation of the regional background [18,19,20]. Given the granulometric variability of the sediments to which it is applied, it is advisable to understand the relationship between their textural distribution and the chemical elements being studied by this index [21,22].
Chile is one of the countries with the longest mining tradition in the Americas. It is currently the world’s largest copper producer (5.5 MTPA), as well as the world’s seventh largest producer of silver (1.22 MTPA), and contributes 1% of global iron production (11 MTPA) [23]. A substantial portion of the mines and associated industries are located in the Atacama region, which includes the provinces of Chañaral, Copiapó, and Huasco (Figure 1a). These provinces, together with the southern province of Coquimbo, have a total of 624 active and inactive tailings ponds [24]. The effects of these activities are reflected in high levels of contamination from these metals, as well as mercury, near the mining environments [25,26].
The coastline of these three provinces presents a striking contrast between national parks, beaches, fishing areas and towns with a high concentration of current and historical mining industries [see review in [10]]. Studies on pollution in these areas are still limited to some bays and beaches [27,28,29], but a more comprehensive assessment is required to identify the regional context and apply it in order to pinpoint potential sources of contamination and their origin. Cu and As are particularly relevant in northern Chile due to their strong association with historical copper mining and smelting activities.
The objectives of this study are: (i) to analyze the geochemistry of the intertidal sediments in the southern part of the Atacama region to assess the spatial distribution and contamination levels of key mining-related elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and As); (ii) to carry out a bivariate statistical analysis to establish the correlation between the metal content and the grain size distribution of the sediments; (iii) to define groups of elements based on a principal component analysis; (iv) to establish a regional background based on a cluster analysis of geochemical concentrations; (v) to identify geochemical hotspots by applying the geoaccumulation index as a measure of pollution; and (vi) to determine the source of the high concentrations of the elements studied in these hotspots.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
The Atacama Region is located between parallels 26° S and 29°20′ S (Figure 1b) and covers an area of 75,669 km2 divided into three provinces: Chañaral (24,749 km2), Copiapó (32,712 km2) and Huasco (18,208 km2). The climate is conditioned by the presence of the South Pacific Subtropical Anticyclone and the cold Humboldt Current, resulting in a predominantly semi-arid climate, with desert areas and rainfall ranging from 18 mm to 250 mm per year. The flow of the main rivers depends on snowmelt from their Andean headwaters and is reduced by withdrawals for agricultural use. This flow can increase significantly due to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, which causes years with abnormally high rainfall. These extreme flow events carry highly metal-contaminated material from tailings into river channels and flood urban centers [30].
Mining in this area experienced its first boom during its annexation to the Inca Empire around the 14th–15th centuries, focusing on the production of gold, silver and copper [31]. Extractive mining increased during the period of Spanish rule, with the initial exploitation of gold washings and later focusing on silver and copper deposits [32]. The major mining expansion in this area began in the mid-19th century, with the establishment of large-scale copper mining and associated industrial facilities in the early 20th century, leading to the large-scale operations seen today [33]. Currently, the mining sector contributes 41% of the GDP of the Atacama region (~2.7 billion dollars) [34], with more than 50 active mines, mainly copper and, to a lesser extent, silver and gold (Figure 1a). The environmental consequences of this mining development are still poorly understood, although recent reports point to significant contamination of soil and wildlife [25,35].
2.2. Analytical Methods
A total of 33 surface samples (0–5 cm depth) were collected (in triplicate) from intertidal sediments in the Atacama region (Figure 1b; Ch: Chañaral; C: Copiapó; H: Huasco) for granulometric and geochemical analysis. Stations were selected according to neighboring coastal uses, activities of impact (e.g., urban sewage, tourism, or industrial areas) and ecological relevance (presence of endemic species, protected areas, river mouths), and the dataset represents surface sediment conditions at the time of sampling. The samples were placed in plastic bags, labelled and transported to the laboratories of the University of Atacama, where they were frozen. In the laboratory, samples were dried, homogenized and sieved prior to the granulometric and geochemical analyses. The grain size distribution was determined through sieving and Wentworth classification.
Subsamples of dried sediment were digested using microwave-assisted acid digestion in closed Teflon vessels. The digestion procedure employed a mixture of concentrated nitric acid (HNO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl) and hydrofluoric acid (HF). After digestion, the solutions were diluted with ultrapure water, and the concentrations of Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and As were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Certified reference materials (HISS-1 and PACS-2 marine sediment standards) were used to verify the analytical accuracy, with a recovery rate of over 90%. The detection limits were 0.2 ppm for all elements analyzed. The values shown are the mean values of triplicates, which were obtained by dividing the original sample into three subsamples and analyzing them individually.
2.3. Statistical Analysis
This analysis was developed using the R program, a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics. Descriptive statistics (mean, median, coefficient of variation) were calculated for all variables. In addition, the Shapiro–Wilk test was applied to test the normality of both granulometric and geochemical variables and p-values lower than 5% were obtained, implying a lack of normality for all of them; consequently, Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used for the bivariate statistical analysis. Principal component analysis was then applied to the five elements analyzed (Fe, Cu, Zn, As and Pb). Cluster analysis (Ward’s method) was used to classify the samples according to their geochemical similarity. The group showing the lowest metal concentrations was interpreted as the least contaminated population, and its mean values were used to estimate the regional geochemical background for the studied elements. The mean of the least polluted group was considered as the regional background for the intertidal zone of the Atacama region and was used to calculate the geoaccumulation index [36] of the five elements in each sample (Fe: 6315.8 mg/kg; Cu: 4.4 mg/kg; Zn: 8.6 mg/kg; As: 1.7 mg/kg; Pb: 1.2 mg/kg). This index is calculated according to the following formula:
where Cn is the value of a variable in a sample and Bn is the regional background obtained in the previous cluster analysis. Based on this index, the degree of pollution of a sample for each of the five variables was classified as follows: unpolluted (Igeo ≤ 0), very lowly polluted (0 < Igeo ≤ 1), lowly polluted (1 < Igeo ≤ 2), moderately polluted (2 < Igeo ≤ 3), highly polluted (3 < Igeo ≤ 4), very highly polluted (4 < Igeo ≤ 5) and extremely highly polluted (Igeo > 5). Given the region’s long history of mining, the presence of mining-related industries in the study area, the lack of geochemical data predating human activity in the intertidal zone under investigation, and the considerable fluctuations in the trace element chemistry, this analysis is in no way representative of the long-term average concentrations of this area. It is a ‘snapshot’ of the chemical situation of the Atacama littoral during the time of sampling.
Igeo = log2 Cn/1.5Bn
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Grain Size
The intertidal sediments of the Atacama coast are predominantly composed of sand-size particles, ranging from fine to coarse fractions (Table 1). Coarse sizes may be abundant due to the presence of gastropod fragments and shells (mainly turritellids).
Medium sand represents the dominant fraction in most samples (0%–87.43%; mean—M: 35.41%), followed by fine sand (0%–92.06%; M: 26.61%) and coarse sand (0%–77.66%; M: 14.54%). Finer fractions (silt and clay) are generally scarce and only show a significant presence in sample C3 (47.58%), while they do not exceed 1.71% in the rest of the samples. The granulometric dominance of sandy fractions reflects the high-energy hydrodynamic conditions that characterize much of the exposed Atacama coastline. This grain size distribution is not conducive to metal deposition in these intertidal sediments, as finer fractions usually favor metal adsorption and retention [37,38]. Consequently, the hydrodynamics of the Atacama coast clearly influence the geochemical composition of its intertidal sediments.
3.2. Geochemistry
In general, large discrepancies between the mean and the median were common (Table 2; Cu: 262.87 mg/kg vs. 56.7 mg/kg; Zn: 35.06 mg/kg vs. 11.3 mg/kg), with ranges extending to extremely high values (e.g., Cu: 4734.7 mg/kg; As: 159 ppm) and coefficients of variation exceeding 100% (e.g., Pb: 437%; Cu: 438%). These descriptive features reveal strong heterogeneity in coastal sediment concentrations, which may be driven by the large spatial extent of the study area and/or by anthropogenic influences that skew natural distributions.
Iron concentrations range from 1841.2 mg/kg at Playa La Virgen (Table 3: C10) to 126,189.3 mg/kg at Bahía Sarco (H8). Concentrations above 20,000 mg/kg were obtained in Playa Blanca (Ch2), at the mouth of the Copiapó River (C7–C8) and in Chañaral de Aceituno (H11). The highest Cu contents were measured in Bahía Sarco (4734.7 mg/kg), Playa Blanca (Ch2: 1857.4 mg/kg) and Playa Grande (Ch3: 1691.6 mg/kg), while the concentrations in most of the remaining samples did not exceed 25 mg/kg.
The highest concentrations of Zn were detected in Playa Blanca (607.4 mg/kg) and Chañaral de Aceituno (H11: 88.5 mg/kg). In the remaining samples, this metal only exceeds 30 mg/kg at the mouth of the Copiapó River and in adjacent areas (Ch7 to Ch9). Playa Blanca and Bahía Sarco also have the highest As contents, both exceeding 135 mg/kg. Playa Blanca also stands out for exceeding 45 mg/kg of Pb, while most of the remaining samples do not reach 10 mg/kg.
3.3. Statistical Analysis
Spearman’s matrix (Table 4) shows that there is no correlation between the different grain sizes and the five elements analyzed, and only a significant correlation is observed between very fine sands and the silt + clay content. Within these elements, all correlations are very significant (ρ ≥ 0.51; p < 0.01), although two groups can be differentiated based on the values of the coefficients found: (i) group A: Fe-Cu-As and (ii) group B: Zn-Pb.
In the principal component analysis, the first two components explain 96.3% of the variance (PC1: 73.1%; PC2: 23.2%). This analysis also supports the division between the two groups mentioned above, with PC2 > 0 for group A and PC2 < 0 for group B (Figure 2; group A: PC2 > 0; group B: PC2 < 0).
The cluster analysis distinguishes two main groups of samples (G1 and G2), as well as four outliers (G3 to G6) (Figure 3). G1 (19 samples) has the lowest average concentrations of four elements (Fe, Cu, As, and Pb) and is only slightly lower than the outlier G3 in terms of Zn. This group is distributed across the three provinces, and its average values are considered as the regional background of the intertidal samples from Atacama for the subsequent calculation of the geoaccumulation index. The ten G2 samples are concentrated in the central part of Copiapó and the northern sector of Huasco (Figure 4). Their concentrations of the five elements are between 2.5 and 6 times higher than those for G1.
The four outliers are located in the northern sector of Chañaral (G3: Ch3-Playa Grande; G5: Ch-2-Playa Blanca) and the southern part of Huasco (G4: H11-Chañaral de Aceituno; G6: H8-Bahía Sarco). They are characterized by the highest contents of Fe (G4 to G6: 31,929.6 mg/kg to 126,189.3 mg/kg), Cu (G3-G5-G6: 1691.5 mg/kg to 4734.6 mg/kg), Zn (G4-G5: 99.5 mg/kg to 607.3 mg/kg), As (G3-G5-G6: 52.6 mg/kg to 158.9 mg/kg) and Pb (G4-G5: 18.3 mg/kg to 45.1 mg/kg).
3.4. Geoaccumulation Index
The geoaccumulation index allows us to estimate the level of contamination in the intertidal sediments of Atacama. Sediments highly contaminated with Fe (3.07 ≤ Igeo Fe ≤ 3.74) were found in Playa Blanca (Ch2) and Bahía Sarco (H8) (Figure 5a). These two samples, together with that from Playa Grande (Ch3), were extremely contaminated with copper, with Igeo Cu values exceeding 8. Balneario Caldera (C2) and Chañaral de Aceituno (H11) also showed high levels of contamination from this metal (3 ≤ Igeo Cu ≤ 3.87), while moderate pollution was also found on Carrizal Bajo beach (H2) (Figure 5b). The intertidal sediments of Playa Blanca were also extremely contaminated with Zn (Igeo Zn: 5.56), and only Chañaral de Aceituno showed moderate to high contamination (Igeo Zn: 2.95) among the remaining samples (Figure 5c).
The geoaccumulation index reveals extremely high As pollution in Playa Blanca and Bahía Sarco (5.73 ≤ Igeo As ≤ 5.96), while Playa Grande is heavily contaminated by this metalloid (Igeo As: 4.37) and moderate pollution was also detected at the mouth of the Copiapó River (C7; I geo As: 2.81) (Figure 6a). Playa Blanca is also heavily contaminated with Pb, a metal that is also highly concentrated in Bahía Sarco and causes moderate pollution (2.04 < Igeo Pb < 2.63) in Balneario Caldera, at the mouth of the Copiapó river and in Carrizal Bajo (Figure 6b).
3.5. Sources of Geochemical Pollution
An overall view of the geoaccumulation indices for the five elements analyzed makes it possible to distinguish between moderately and heavily contaminated sites along the southern coast of Atacama and to make a rough estimate of the possible sources of pollution (Figure 7). In the province of Chañaral, the sediments at Playa Blanca stand out for their very high pollution levels of the five elements studied. This site, together with Playa Grande (e.g., outliers G3 and G5), forms part of Chañaral Bay, an enclave where waste from copper mining for over a century converges with waste from the washing of tailings resulting from periodic flooding (e.g., 2015 or 2017) [39]. These high levels have had a significant impact on the reduction and even disappearance of part of the biota, as well as on humans in the area, who have higher levels of these elements in their urine than people in other parts of Chile [review in [40]].
The most polluted intertidal sediments (especially with Cu, As and Pb) in the province of Copiapó were found in Balneario Caldera and the nearby mouth of the Copiapó River. Balneario Caldera is a public beach with high concentrations of organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and this combination of inorganic and organic pollution is related to harbor activities, fishing, urban sewage discharges and, most importantly, the immediacy of a fuel refinery [41]. On the other hand, the Copiapó River basin includes numerous dumps and mine tailings produced by historical Au–Ag processing and by today’s Cu mining (Figure 1a) [42]. Surface runoff and flash flows [43] cause the transport of the analyzed elements towards the mouth of this river and may explain the pollution detected.
In the province of Huasco, sediments highly to extremely polluted by group A were detected in Bahia Sarco. This bay is a historic mining site that served as a port for mines in adjacent mining areas and housed a copper smelter [43]. On the other hand, Carrizal Bajo is currently a wetland protected by a coastal spit, but it was one of the most important ports in Chile during the second half of the 19th century. A rail link connected it to some of the main mining regions in the north of the country (e.g., Carrizal Alto, Astillas, Quebrada Blanca, Jarilla), where significant quantities of polymetallic sulphides were mined. The copper ores were processed in a smelter [44], the slag from which is now scattered all over the land around the village [45]. The moderate to high pollution detected in Chañaral de Aceituno is concerning, given that this cove is a marine reserve with high biodiversity. It is a tourist and artisanal fishing area, but this site has high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; these are associated with the frequent boat trips towards Humboldt Penguin Island, which hosts 80% of this penguin species’ population, as well as numerous colonies of sea lions and birds [41].
4. Conclusions
Multivariate statistical analysis and the calculation of the geoaccumulation index for five elements analyzed in the intertidal sediments of the southern Atacama region indicate that most of this stretch of the Chilean coastline is uncontaminated or slightly contaminated with respect to Fe, Cu, Zn, As and Pb. However, various sites in the provinces of Chañaral (Playa Blanca, Playa Grande), Copiapó (Balneario Caldera, mouth of the Copiapó River) and Huasco (Carrizal Bajo, Bahía Sarco, Chañaral de Aceituno) exhibit high to extremely high concentrations of these elements, due to the presence of nearby tailings, former smelting plants, port activities or the passage of ships through nature reserves. These outliers would require attention in order to reduce the level of contamination present in these sediments. It is recommended that the pollution levels of these outliers be monitored and that environmental mitigation measures be adopted to reduce their rates of geoaccumulation.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, E.B., E.C. and J.S.; methodology, E.B., E.C., J.S., J.M.M., M.I.P., M.I.D., R.M., M.A., T.I. and F.R.; investigation, E.B., E.C., J.S., J.M.M., M.I.P., M.I.D., R.M., M.A., T.I. and F.R.; data curation, E.B., E.C. and J.S.; writing—original draft preparation, E.B., E.C., M.A. and F.R.; writing—review and editing, E.B., E.C., J.S., J.M.M., M.I.P., M.I.D., R.M., M.A., T.I. and F.R.; visualization, E.B. supervision, E.B., E.C., M.A. and F.R.; funding acquisition, E.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This work is a contribution to the ANID/CONICYT/FONDECYT 11180015 project and the TRAMPA/PID2021-127268NB-100 project funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FEDER, UE. Other funds were provided by the Andalusian Government (project RNM-238). This is a contribution to the Research Center for Historical, Cultural, and Natural Heritage (CIPHCN) at the University of Huelva.
Data Availability Statement
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors on request.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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Figure 1.
(a) Distribution of current and historical mining sites in northern Chile; (b) locations of coastal samples studied. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco-Coquimbo: provinces of Chile.
Figure 1.
(a) Distribution of current and historical mining sites in northern Chile; (b) locations of coastal samples studied. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco-Coquimbo: provinces of Chile.
Figure 2.
Principal component analysis applied to the five elements analyzed.
Figure 3.
Cluster analysis (Ward’s method), with the average concentrations (in mg/kg) of the differentiated groups.
Figure 3.
Cluster analysis (Ward’s method), with the average concentrations (in mg/kg) of the differentiated groups.
Figure 4.
Spatial distribution of differentiated groups. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco: provinces of Chile.
Figure 4.
Spatial distribution of differentiated groups. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco: provinces of Chile.
Figure 5.
Geoaccumulation index: (a) Fe; (b) Cu; (c) Zn. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco: provinces of Chile.
Figure 5.
Geoaccumulation index: (a) Fe; (b) Cu; (c) Zn. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco: provinces of Chile.
Figure 6.
Geoaccumulation index: (a) As; (b) Pb. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco: provinces of Chile.
Figure 7.
Most polluted areas of southern Atacama coastline. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco: provinces of Chile.
Figure 7.
Most polluted areas of southern Atacama coastline. Chañaral-Copiapó-Huasco: provinces of Chile.
Table 1.
Grain size distributions of the samples studied.
| Province | Sample | Location | GR | VCS | CS | MS | FS | VFS | SILT + CLAY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chañaral | Ch1 | Pan de Azúcar | 13.05 | 78.38 | 7.66 | 0.88 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 |
| Ch2 | Playa Blanca | 0 | 0 | 0.34 | 87.18 | 11.39 | 1.09 | 0 | |
| Ch3 | Playa Grande | 0.03 | 0.01 | 2.31 | 87.43 | 9.44 | 0.74 | 0.03 | |
| Ch4 | Los Médanos | 26.39 | 16.62 | 7.82 | 36.17 | 12.71 | 0.29 | 0 | |
| Ch5 | Los Toyos | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Ch6 | Flamenco (beach) | 0 | 0.23 | 1.01 | 1.01 | 9.7 | 86.27 | 1.77 | |
| Ch7 | Flamenco (management area) | 0.03 | 0.02 | 1.41 | 60.68 | 36.26 | 1.6 | 0 | |
| Copiapó | C1 | Ramada | 0.11 | 0.14 | 0.7 | 47.26 | 50.16 | 1.63 | 0 |
| C2 | Balneario Caldera | 0.23 | 0.83 | 4.69 | 49.56 | 41.4 | 3.29 | 0 | |
| C3 | Las Machas | 0 | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.44 | 1.76 | 49.34 | 47.58 | |
| C4 | Rocas Negras | 0 | 2.3 | 9.99 | 70.31 | 16.87 | 0.53 | 0 | |
| C5 | Bahía Cisne | 0 | 0.15 | 0.89 | 56.99 | 41.66 | 0.32 | 0 | |
| C6 | Río Copiapó (wetland) | 13.77 | 6.32 | 10.66 | 52.94 | 14.06 | 1.88 | 0.36 | |
| C7 | Mouth of the Copiapó River (1) | 0.41 | 0.07 | 0.43 | 63.34 | 34.96 | 0.75 | 0.04 | |
| C8 | Mouth of the Copiapó River (2) | 0.01 | 0.17 | 70.92 | 23.49 | 5.26 | 0.16 | 0 | |
| C9 | Puerto Viejo | 0.06 | 0.12 | 0.54 | 29.37 | 67.19 | 2.72 | 0.01 | |
| C10 | Playa La Virgen | 0 | 0.01 | 1.14 | 84.81 | 13.97 | 0.08 | 0 | |
| C11 | Barranquilla | 0.2 | 3.66 | 42.31 | 43.6 | 10.12 | 0.12 | 0 | |
| C12 | Caleta del Medio | 0 | 0.04 | 0.23 | 3.05 | 92.25 | 4.42 | 0 | |
| C13 | Bahía Chasco | 0.24 | 0.07 | 0.45 | 18.68 | 75.68 | 4.88 | 0 | |
| C14 | Pajonales | 0.82 | 0.67 | 1 | 20.79 | 75.52 | 1.21 | 0 | |
| C15 | Caleta Totoral | 5.29 | 29.44 | 50.19 | 13.03 | 2.01 | 0.02 | 0.02 | |
| Huasco | H1 | Carrizal Bajo (wetland) | 13.77 | 6.32 | 10.66 | 52.94 | 14.06 | 1.88 | 0.36 |
| H2 | Carrizal Bajo (beach) | 0 | 0.08 | 0.96 | 30.6 | 64.94 | 1.71 | 1.71 | |
| H3 | Mouth of the Huasco River | 0 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 48.91 | 49.03 | 1.96 | 0.02 | |
| H4 | Huasco beach | 0.09 | 0.03 | 0.09 | 4.21 | 92.06 | 3.47 | 0.03 | |
| H5 | Playa Brava | 0 | 0.18 | 2.33 | 75.32 | 22.11 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| H6 | Punta Tongoy | 0 | 0.06 | 24.98 | 71.22 | 3.73 | 0.01 | 0 | |
| H7 | La Chépica | 3.81 | 2.39 | 76.89 | 13.21 | 3.52 | 0.18 | 0 | |
| H8 | Bahía Sarco | 49.9 | 15.86 | 26.53 | 7.28 | 0.39 | 0.03 | 0.01 | |
| H9 | Los Burros Sur | 6.29 | 6.48 | 77.66 | 7.89 | 1.67 | 0.02 | 0 | |
| H10 | Agua la Zorra | 36.8 | 40.37 | 22.51 | 0.2 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.02 | |
| H11 | Chañaral de Aceituno | 38.12 | 26.46 | 22.19 | 5.61 | 4.26 | 2.91 | 0.45 |
Table 2.
Descriptive statistics of elements.
| Element | Mean ± Standard Deviation | Median | Range | Coefficient of Variation (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As | 13.75 ± 35.76 | 2.8 | 0.3–159 | 323 |
| Cu | 262.87 ± 909.41 | 6.7 | 0.4–4734.7 | 438 |
| Fe | 15,820.99 ± 24,278.2 | 8906.6 | 1841.2–126,189.3 | 275 |
| Pb | 4.92 ± 8.23 | 1.7 | 0.6–45.2 | 437 |
| Zn | 35.06 ± 104.01 | 11.3 | 2.4–607.4 | 391 |
Table 3.
Geochemical contents (in mg/kg). Bold: three highest concentrations of each metal(loid).
| Province | Sample | Location | Fe | Cu | Zn | As | Pb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chañaral | Ch1 | Pan de Azúcar | 13,633.9 | 18.3 | 20.9 | 6.1 | 5.4 |
| Ch2 | Playa Blanca | 79,951.3 | 1857.4 | 607.4 | 159 | 45.2 | |
| Ch3 | Playa Grande | 7555.8 | 1691.6 | 7.2 | 52.6 | 4.1 | |
| Ch4 | Los Médanos | 4655.9 | 5.9 | 10 | 2.9 | 1.5 | |
| Ch5 | Los Toyos | 3468.1 | 6.1 | 7.6 | 1.3 | 1.4 | |
| Ch6 | Flamenco (Beach) | 5021.8 | 9.9 | 7.9 | 1.2 | 0.9 | |
| Ch7 | Flamenco (southern management area) | 4716.9 | 8.3 | 11 | 1.4 | 1.1 | |
| Copiapó | C1 | Ramada | 3842.4 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| C2 | Balneario Caldera | 9707.8 | 96.9 | 18.4 | 1.8 | 7.4 | |
| C3 | Las Machas | 2596.9 | 2.5 | 6.1 | 1.3 | 0.8 | |
| C4 | Rocas Negras | 8906.6 | 3.1 | 9.6 | 2.1 | 1.7 | |
| C5 | Bahía Cisne | 7740.2 | 3.9 | 11.3 | 5.8 | 2.2 | |
| C6 | Copiapó River (wetland) | 12,088.6 | 10.9 | 24.6 | 6.3 | 5.7 | |
| C7 | Mouth of the Copiapó River (1) | 28,502 | 24.4 | 41.1 | 17.9 | 7.7 | |
| C8 | Mouth of the Copiapó River (2) | 23,098.5 | 13.9 | 34.9 | 8.3 | 7.9 | |
| C9 | Puerto Viejo | 18,154.7 | 13.5 | 35.2 | 7.6 | 7.1 | |
| C10 | Playa La Virgen | 1841.2 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | |
| C11 | Barranquilla | 8379.2 | 3.6 | 15 | 1.4 | 0.9 | |
| C12 | Caleta del Medio | 4019.5 | 2.2 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 0.9 | |
| C13 | Bahía Chasco | 5272.6 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 2.3 | 1.7 | |
| C14 | Pajonales | 9910.9 | 6.1 | 11.3 | 2.8 | 1.9 | |
| C15 | Caleta Totoral | 7221.4 | 6.7 | 8.4 | 3 | 1.7 | |
| Huasco | H1 | Carrizal Bajo (wetland) | 16,142.8 | 21.5 | 19.2 | 7.9 | 11.2 |
| H2 | Carrizal Bajo (beach) | 10,321.6 | 39.1 | 15.8 | 4.5 | 9.4 | |
| H3 | Mouth of the Huasco River | 12,503.1 | 7 | 27.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | |
| H4 | Huasco beach | 12,313.2 | 8.5 | 27.6 | 4.3 | 4.2 | |
| H5 | Playa Brava | 5717.4 | 2.4 | 8.3 | 0.4 | 0.8 | |
| H6 | Punta Tongoy | 4310 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | |
| H7 | La Chépica | 11,625.7 | 5.7 | 6.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 | |
| H8 | Bahía Sarco | 126,189.3 | 4734.7 | 25.8 | 135.5 | 2.4 | |
| H9 | Los Burros Sur | 5859.3 | 2.9 | 8.8 | 0.4 | 0.7 | |
| H10 | Agua la Zorra | 14,894.2 | 2.7 | 16.2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | |
| H11 | Chañaral de Aceituno | 31,929.6 | 52.9 | 88.5 | 5.6 | 18.3 |
Table 4.
Spearman’s correlation matrix. 0.93: p < 0.01; −0.37: p < 0.05; NS: Not significant.
| Gravel | Very Coarse Sand | Coarse Sand | Medium Sand | Fine Sand | Very Fine Sand | Silt and Clay | Fe | Cu | Zn | As | Pb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 1 | |||||||||||
| Very coarse sand | NS | 1 | ||||||||||
| Coarse sand | NS | NS | 1 | |||||||||
| Medium sand | −0.4 | −0.39 | NS | 1 | ||||||||
| Fine sand | −0.37 | −0.37 | −0.47 | NS | 1 | |||||||
| Very fine sand | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 1 | ||||||
| Silt and clay | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 0.5 | 1 | |||||
| Fe | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 1 | ||||
| Cu | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 0.89 | 1 | |||
| Zn | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 0.52 | NS | 1 | ||
| As | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 0.89 | 0.87 | 0.73 | 1 | |
| Pb | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 0.51 | NS | 0.93 | 0.65 | 1 |
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Bonnail, E.; Cruces, E.; Santibáñez, J.; Muñoz, J.M.; Prudencio, M.I.; Dias, M.I.; Marques, R.; Abad, M.; Izquierdo, T.; Ruiz, F. Assessment of Cu, As, Pb, Zn and Fe Enrichment in Intertidal Sediments Along the Atacama Coast, Northern Chile. Minerals 2026, 16, 643. https://doi.org/10.3390/min16060643
AMA Style
Bonnail E, Cruces E, Santibáñez J, Muñoz JM, Prudencio MI, Dias MI, Marques R, Abad M, Izquierdo T, Ruiz F. Assessment of Cu, As, Pb, Zn and Fe Enrichment in Intertidal Sediments Along the Atacama Coast, Northern Chile. Minerals. 2026; 16(6):643. https://doi.org/10.3390/min16060643
Chicago/Turabian StyleBonnail, Estefanía, Edgardo Cruces, John Santibáñez, Juan Manuel Muñoz, María Isabel Prudencio, María Isabel Dias, Rosa Marques, Manuel Abad, Tatiana Izquierdo, and Francisco Ruiz. 2026. "Assessment of Cu, As, Pb, Zn and Fe Enrichment in Intertidal Sediments Along the Atacama Coast, Northern Chile" Minerals 16, no. 6: 643. https://doi.org/10.3390/min16060643
APA StyleBonnail, E., Cruces, E., Santibáñez, J., Muñoz, J. M., Prudencio, M. I., Dias, M. I., Marques, R., Abad, M., Izquierdo, T., & Ruiz, F. (2026). Assessment of Cu, As, Pb, Zn and Fe Enrichment in Intertidal Sediments Along the Atacama Coast, Northern Chile. Minerals, 16(6), 643. https://doi.org/10.3390/min16060643
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