Date of Creation

Spring 5-4-2026

Document Type

Dataset

Abstract

Coastal wetlands near industrialized waterways face increasing heavy metal contamination, yet the role of mangroves as biogeochemical buffers remains poorly understood. This study quantified 16 heavy metals in sediments and red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) tissues (roots, branches, and leaves) across four sites near Port Everglades, Florida, examining tissue-specific partitioning, contamination patterns, and sediment-to-plant transfer. The South Turning Basin (STB) was the principal contamination hotspot, with geometric mean (GM) concentrations of arsenic (As; 27.8 µg/g) and zinc (Zn; 203 µg/g) exceeding threshold effect levels, while Cu exceeded its probable effect level (PEL; 193 µg/g). Mercury (Hg) exceeded its PEL (0.63 µg/g) at all sites (11.3–13.9 µg/g). STB had the highest GM concentrations for 11 of 16 metals, also including molybdenum (Mo; 10.8 µg/g) and lead (Pb; 33.2). Temporal comparisons showed marked increases by 2025, including STB Hg (0.081–6.12 µg/g) and Zn (11.6–203 µg/g) relative to 2023, while West Lake Cu increased from 4.11 to 55.7 µg/g relative to 2019. Mangrove tissues broadly reflected sediment metal abundance but selectively regulated accumulation. Whole-plant bioconcentration factors (BCFs) < 1, indicate phytostabilization rather than phytoextraction with tin (Sn) the primary exception (BCF=2.69–4.19), while Hg exceeded BCF=1 only in leaves (1.29–2.14). These findings indicate that Rhizophora mangle primarily functions as a biogeochemical buffer by limiting the uptake and translocation of most sediment-associated metals while selectively accumulating specific contaminants in aerial tissues. Long-term monitoring is needed to determine whether mangroves function as persistent metal sinks or temporary contaminant reservoirs.

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