| Twelve samples were collected from the surface sediments of lagoon and adjacent Mediterranean Sea. Samples were analyzed for grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), total carbonate (CaCO3), various forms of phosphorus and heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Cd and Pb). The results indicated that the sediments were composed of sand, silt and clay enriched with carbonate (1.95 – 34.1%) and total organic carbon (0.06 and 3.62%). The total-P content ranged between 58 and 1186 μg/g, and the fraction associated with apatite minerals (PHCl) was the dominant (it constitutes about 50 – 73% of TP) implying that it was the main storage of phosphate. The various P phases demonstrated significant positive correlation with mean size, silt, clay, TOC, CaCO3 and TP,... |
