State of the Bay Report 2011-Final.pdf - Anchor Environmental

State of Saldanha Bay & Langebaan Lagoon 2011
Sediments
Figure 5.20. Variation in the concentration of Cadmium (Cd) in the sediments in Saldanha Bay and
Langebaan Lagoon as revealed by the 2011 survey results.
There was a considerable increase in the concentrations of Cadmium detected in the
sediments of Saldana Bay between 1980 and 1999. In 1999, the levels of cadmium recorded at the
Mussel Farm, the Yacht Club Basin and the Channel End of the Ore Terminal exceeded the ERL
toxicity threshold of 1.2 mg/kg established by NOAA (Figure 5.21). Since 1999, cadmium
concentrations have shown a progressive decrease over time (2000-2010) in the Yacht Club Basin, at
Mussel Farm, at the end of ore terminal and in Big Bay. Cadmium concentrations fell below
detection limits at all the sites other than the Yacht Club Basin in 2010 and the concentration
detected at the Yacht Club Basin had reduced below the ERL.
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