Historical record of heavy metals in a highly contaminated Mediterranean deposit: The Besos prodelta

The Besos prodelta, located around a highly populated area, receives the discharge of the Bests River, one of the most contaminated rivers discharging into the Mediterranean sea. The record of heavy metals accumulated in this prodelta is studied to assess the sedimentary behaviour and the history of the anthropogenic heavy metals in the area. 210Pb dated sediments have allowed the identification of the sedimentation patterns and the elaboration of dated heavy metals and cenospheres profiles, which reflected the evolution of the anthropogenic impact in this marine environment. Sediments accumulated during the 18th and 19th centuries were already affected by a moderate heavy metal contamination. This contamination increased drastically in the sediments accumulated during the last decades. This dam is well correlated with the increase in industrialisation, population and energy consumption in the Besos drainage basin during the last century.