Heavy metal pollution on tourist beaches in the province of Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)

Abstract

Background: Beaches are key points for recreation and coastal tourism and a major source of income for many countries. Thus, good beaches attract tourists and degraded ones discourage tourism. Also, beaches and coastal areas are ecosystem areas and vital for the conservation of natural resources. The research goal in this paper was to analyze the concentration of heavy metals on the tourist beaches of the city of Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic) and its impact on the conservation of coastal marine systems and the development of recreational activities and tourism. Materials and Methods: The methodology was drawn up by a certified laboratory and followed the methods of The United States Environmental Protection Agenda, through the Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) technique. Results: Total Chromium was the main heavy metal found on the beaches of Puerto Plata. Other heavy metals found included Total Copper, Total Arsenic, Total Lead, and Total Cadmium. Conclusions: These findings suggest action needs to be taken to lessen the impact of beach contamination on Puerto Plata's marine-coastal systems. The presence of these heavy metals has negative impacts on Puerto Plata province's tourism, resident population, and coastal marine ecosystems.