Apparent discrepancy in contamination history of a sub-tropical estuary evaluated through 210Pb profile and chronostratigraphical markers

Zn and Cd concentrations, stable lead isotopes and ²¹⁰Pb-derived chronology were determined in a sediment core sampled at Sepetiba Bay (South-eastern Brazil). During the last decades, the bay’s watershed has been modified by the increase of industrial activities and human interventions. In particular, Zn and Cd ore treatment plants were built near the coast in 1960 and 1970, respectively, and water has been diverted from the adjacent Paraíba do Sul River watershed since 1950. The core collected at shallow depth near the industrial area exhibits four successive events: (i) at 50 cm depth, a change in the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio from about 1.162 to more than 1.18 might be the result of the São Francisco Channel opening and water diversion from Paraíba do Sul river; (ii) at 40 cm depth, Zn concentration starts to increase (up to 0.8 mg g⁻¹) (iii) above 30 cm depth, relatively high Cd concentrations (up to 1.6 μg g⁻¹) are observed and (iv) at 16 cm depth, change in unsupported ²¹⁰Pb slope is probably related to a waste dam built to prevent strong metal contamination in the bay. Sediment accumulation rates evaluated by Zn and Cd profiles used as time-markers are higher than those calculated from ²¹⁰Pb-based chronology models. Using the constant initial concentration (CIC) model both events are supposed to date back to about 1884 and 1902, respectively, while using the constant rate of supply (CRS) model it shifts to about 1925 and 1935. Such discrepancies are probably assigned to the fact that these models do not take into account site-specific local sedimentation dynamics. In the study area, particles deposition seems to be controlled by enrichment with unsupported ²¹⁰Pb transported by runoff from a mangrove flat bank. Chronology derived from a model that assumes an exponential increase of the initial ²¹⁰Pb activity fits well with the estimated rates obtained from historical events.     

Characterization of colloidal and particulate matter transported by the magela creek system,Northern Australia

The composition and amount of colloidal and suspended participate matter transported during a small flood event in Magela Creek in tropical northern Australia was investigated. The flood studied constituted approximately 3 % of the total annual flow, most (90%) of which occurred between mid-January and mid-February of the study year. Three fractions were separated from water samples using a sequential method involving a continuous flow centrifuge to separate suspended particulate matter (SPM; nominally > 1 μm) followed by hollow fibre filtration, first using a 0.1 μm filter to separate course colloidal matter (CCM; nominal size 1–0.1 μm) and then a 0–015 μm filter to separate fine colloidal matter (FCM; nominal size 0.1–0.015 μm). The SPM was predominantly inorganic (organic matter 21 %), whereas the colloidal fractions were dominantly organic matter (CCM 60%; FCM 83%). Analysis of individual particles using electron microprobe and automated image analysis indicated that the mineral fractions in both the SPM and CCM were dominated by iron-enriched aluminosilicates (including kaolinite) (72–82%) and quartz (9–10%), indicative of a highly weathered and extensively laterized catchment. Surprisingly there was very little difference in the composition of the SPM or CCM fractions during the flood event studied, which may indicate either that sediment availability was restricted following the major run-off events in January and February, or that all the sediment sources within the catchment are geochemically similar. Approximately the same amounts of particulate (20 tonne), colloidal (21 tonne) and dissolved material (17 tonne) were transported during the 25 hour period of the main flood peak; over 90% of the colloidal matter was 0.1–1.0 μm in size. These data suggest that previous estimates of the amounts of particulate (and colloidal) matter transported by Magela Creek, which were based on suspended solids measurements, may have underestimated the particulate matter load by as much as 50%. It is possible that the relatively high proportion of colloidal matter is unique to Magela Creek because coagulation and aggregation of colloidal matter to particulate matter is slow due to the very low concentations of calcium and magnesium in these waters. However, if the result is more widespread, there are important implications for the global estimates of fluvially transported particulate and dissolved materials as many of the previous studies may have underestimated the particulate load and overestimated the dissolved load.     

Particulate carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a headwater catchment in Northern Thailand: hysteresis,high yields,and hot spots

Rivers of South and Southeast Asia disgorge large suspended sediment loads, reflecting exceptionally high rates of erosion promoted by natural processes (tectonic and climatic) and anthropogenic (land‐use change) activities that are characteristic of the region. While particulate carbon and nitrogen fluxes have been characterized in some large Asian rivers, less is known about the headwater systems where much sediment and organic material are initially mobilized. This study, conducted in the 74‐km² Mae Sa Experimental Catchment in northern Thailand, shows that the Sa River is an important source for particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) transported to larger river systems and downstream reservoirs. However, the yields during three years of investigation varied greatly: 5.0–22.3 Mg POC km^?2 y^?1 and 0.48–2.02 Mg PON km^?2 y^?1. The 22.3 Mg POC km^?2 y^?1 yield is the highest reported for any river on the Asian continent. Stream samples collected during 12 storms showed that almost 3% of the total suspended solid load is POC 0.7 µm to 2.0 mm in size. This percentage is higher than other values for most large rivers on the continent. Further, we documented a strong pulse hysteretic behaviour in the stream, whereby peak fluxes of POC and PON are often delayed (anticlockwise hysteresis) or accelerated (clockwise hysteresis) relative to stream flow peaks (or are complex), complicating the prediction of storm‐based or annual particulate carbon and nitrogen fluxes. Stream turbidity and total suspended sediment are reasonable proxies for POC and PON concentrations, while stream discharge is not a good predictor variable. Observed C:N ratios for measured particulate samples range from 3 to 83, with the high‐end values likely associated with fresh (non‐decomposed) vegetative material greater than 2 mm in diameter. The C:N ratio (weighted based on three sediment sizes) for 12 events ranges from 7.5 to 15.3. These modest values reflect the relatively low C:N ratios for small size fractions (0.7–0.63 µm) that comprise 50–90% of the TSS load in the events. Overall, organic material <0.63 µm contribute about 75% of the total POC load and 80% of the PON load. The annual C:N ratio for the river is approximately 10–11. Collectively, our findings indicate the occasionally high yields make the Sa River—and potentially other similar headwater rivers—a hot spot for POC and PON transported to downstream water bodies. Complex hysteresis patterns and high year‐to‐year variability hinders our ability to calculate and predict these yields without continuous, automated monitoring of discharge and turbidity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Odra River Load of Heavy Metals at Hohenwutzen during the Flood in 1997

The Odra river flood of 1997 was a rare hydrological as well as an interesting sedimentological event. At Hohenwutzen (Lower Odra River) we observed the suspended particulate matter transport and the temporal development of water and solidsπ pollution with heavy metals and As. While the suspended particulate matter concentration decreased the trace element concentrations increased during the flood by fractionation of particles and solution processes. Because of a successive flooding of differently contaminated sedimentary sources and polluted regions the contents of heavy metals developed irregularly. Their median particulate concentrations did not exceed the values of older samples taken under mean discharge conditions between 1989 and 1995. The dissolved amounts correspond to those of the Elbe river in 1990. During the flood the dissolved share of all analyzed total element contents increased. The total loads increased 4fold (Cr) to 17fold (Cd).     

Sediment dynamics and temporal variation of runoff in the Yom River,Thailand

The Yom River is one of the four major sediment sources to the Chao Phraya River in Thailand. Human activities and changes in climate over the past six decades may have affected the discharge and sediment load to some extent. In the current study, the river discharge and sediment characteristics in the mainstream of the Yom River were investigated using the field observation data from 2011 to 2013 and the historical river flow and sediment data from 1954 to 2014 at six hydrological stations operated by the Royal Irrigation Department of Thailand (RID). The non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and double mass curve were used to analyze the sediment dynamics and temporal changes in the discharge of the Yom River. The results revealed that the sediment was mainly transported in suspension, and the bed-to-suspended sediment loads ratio varied between 0 and 0.05. The daily suspended sediment load (SSL) in the upper and middle basins had a strong correlation with the daily discharge and could be represented by power equations with coefficients of determination higher than 0.8. The daily suspended sediment load in the lower basin did not directly depend on the corresponding discharge because of the reduction in river slope and water diversion by irrigation projects. It also appeared that the river discharges and sediment loads were mainly influenced by climate variation (floods and droughts). Moreover, the average sediment transport of the upper, middle, and lower reaches were 0.57, 0.71, and 0.35 million t/y, respectively. The sediment load in the lower basin decreased more than 50% as a result of changes in the river gradient (from mountainous to floodplain areas). The results from sediment analysis also indicated that the construction of the Mae Yom Barrage, the longest diversion dam in Thailand, and land-use changes did not significantly affect the sediment load along the Yom River.     

Effects of hydrological processes on the chemical composition of riverine suspended sediment in the Zhujiang River,China

The chemical composition of riverine suspended sediment is the integration of the weathering crust minerals, soil organic matter and erosion agency within a specific drainage basin, which has been largely disturbed by the human activities. Selected metal elements of the riverine suspended sediment in the Zhujiang River were analysed using inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES) in three different hydrological phases from 1997 to 1998 at Makou and Sanshui hydrographic gauge stations, located at the lower reaches of the two main tributaries of the Zhujiang River, i.e. the Xijiang and the Beijing Rivers respectively. Organic carbon and nitrogen were also analysed using a conventional element analyser. The results demonstrate that the chemical composition of the riverine suspended sediment show obvious variability in different hydrological phases, which closely correlate to the organic matter content in suspended sediment. Intensified erosion in the flood phase results in lower concentration of the organic matter than that in the lower water level phase. The riverine suspended sediment with rich organic matter in the lower water level phase adsorbs some metal elements from the river water. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metals discharged during different flow conditions from a mixed agricultural‐forest catchment (NW Spain)

Metal loads were determined from water samples collected under different streamflow conditions (baseflow and storm events) in a rural catchment (NW Spain) during 4 years. A study at annual, seasonal and storm‐event scales was carried out. In all analysed scales, the export order was Fe > Al > Mn > Zn > Cu. A high inter‐annual, seasonal and storm‐event scale variability of metal load was observed. The total metal loads in stream were higher during baseflow conditions than during storm events, which only represented 4% of the duration of the study period and 25% of streamflow. During storm events, both Al and Fe loads accounted 45% of the total load of the study period, whereas Mn, Cu and Zn loads represented 42%, 33% and 24%, respectively. This highlights the role of high flows on metal export. Only four big events exported around 30% of load of each metal transported in events. At all time scales, a prevalence of export of particulate metals over dissolved metals was observed, more pronounced for Al, Fe and Mn than for Cu and Zn. The export of metals in the Corbeira catchment is influenced by runoff and, to a lesser extent, by the rainfall amount. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carbon and suspended sediment transport in an impounded alpine river (Isère,France)

Carbon and total suspended sediment (TSS) loads were investigated from April 2006 to March 2008 in the mountainous watershed of the Isère River, French Alps (5570 km²). The river bed has been highly impounded for hydroelectricity production during the last century. Hydraulic flushes are managed every year to prevent TSS storage within upstream dams. The Isère River has been instrumented for high‐frequency monitoring of water, TSS by turbidity and carbon (organic, inorganic, dissolved and particulate) in order to evaluate the impact of natural floods and hydraulic flushes on annual loads. Annual TSS load which was estimated between 1.3 and 2.3 MT y^?1 (i.e. 233 to 413 T km^?2 y^?1) highlighted the high erodibility of the Isère watershed. Annual carbon load was estimated between 173 10³ T y^?1 and 199 10³ T y^?1 (i.e 31 to 36 T km^?2 y^?1). About 80% of the annual carbon loads were inorganic. The impact of hydraulic flushes on annual loads appeared limited (less than 3% for annual TSS load and about 1.5% for annual carbon load), whereas the most important natural flood event contributed to 20% of the annual TSS load and 10% of the annual carbon load. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variation in particle size and particulate organic matter content in suspended particulate matter from peatland‐dominated catchments in Finland

Properties of suspended particulate matter play a vital role in transport processes, but information from boreal lowland river systems with high organic loads is limited. This study analysed data from 2 years of sampling at 30 locations in Finland (204 samples in total) using suspended particulate matter samplers to determine effective and absolute particle size and organic fractions. Mean d₅₀ value was 22 and 49 µm for absolute and effective particle size, respectively. The organic fraction content ranged from 2.1% to 36% (mean 9.6%), highlighting the importance of particle organic matter for suspended particulate matter flux in the region. The results indicated that the suspended particulate matter particle size distribution and load in the study region is dominated by composite particles. There were considerable spatial and temporal variations in transport of organic fractions, effective particle size and degree of aggregation (range 1.5–93%). Headwaters and, in particular, late summer and spring flood conditions with flow peaks produced the largest composite particles, whereas agriculture‐dominated sites produced smaller but more tightly compacted particles. Organic plant fibres appeared to play a vital role in floc formation in peat‐covered catchments, whereas in agriculture‐dominated catchments, land use‐derived aggregates dominated the composition. This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of effective particle size measurement in understanding the dynamics of suspended particulate matters in boreal lowland river systems. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatio-temporal dynamics of sediment transport in lesser Himalayan catchments,India

Sediment transport from mountainous to lowland areas is considered one of the most important geomorphological processes. In the present study, variations in transported sediment loads and dissolved loads have been studied over 3 years (2008–2011) for two forested catchments located in the Lesser Himalayan region of India. Seasonal and annual suspended sediment flux was strongly influenced by amounts of rainfall and streamflow. On average, 93% of annual load was produced during the monsoon, of which 62–78% occurred in only five peak events. Sediment production by the degraded forest catchment (Bansigad) was 1.9-fold (suspended sediment load) to 5.9-fold (bedload) higher than the densely forested catchment (Arnigad). The dissolved organic matter potentially influences total dissolved solids in the stream. Heavy rainfall triggers both stream discharge and landslides, which lead to higher bedload transport. Total denudation rates for Arnigad and Bansigad were estimated at 0.68 and 1.02 mm?year^?1, respectively.     

Plastic debris ingestion by sea turtle in Paraíba, Brazil

Coastal gill net entanglement and debris intake are important threats to the survival of sea turtles. Two sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea and Chelonia mydas) were found stranded along the coast of Paraíba. After necropsy, plastic debris were found in the stomach. The debris is described. This is the first record of this sort of problem for the Paraíba littoral.     

Organic carbon fluxes from the upper Yangtze basin: an example of the Longchuanjiang River,China

To investigate the effects of anthropogenic activity, namely, land use change and reservoir construction, on particulate organic carbon (POC) transport, we collected monthly water samples during September 2007 to August 2009 from the Longchuanjiang River to understand seasonal variations in the concentrations of organic carbon species and their sources and the yield of organic and inorganic carbon from the catchment in the Upper Yangtze basin. The contents of riverine POC, total organic carbon and total suspended sediment (TSS) changed synchronously with water discharge, whereas the contents of dissolved organic carbon had a small variation. The POC concentration in the suspended sediment decreased non‐linearly with increasing TSS concentration. Higher molar C/N ratio of particulate organic matter (average 77) revealed that POC was dominated by terrestrially derived organic matter in the high flows and urban wastewaters in the low flows. The TSS transported by this river was 2.7 × 10⁵ t/yr in 2008. The specific fluxes of total organic carbon and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were 5.6 and 6 t/km²/yr, respectively, with more than 90% in the high flow period. A high carbon yield in the catchment of the upper Yangtze was due to human‐induced land use alterations and urban wastes. Consistent with most rivers in the monsoon climate regions, the dissolved organic carbon–POC ratio of the export flux was low (0.41). Twenty‐two percent (0.9 t/km²/yr) of POC out of 4 t/km²/yr was from autochthonous production and 78% (3.1 t/km²/yr) from allochthonous production. The annual sediment load and hence the organic carbon flux have been affected by environmental alterations of physical, chemical and hydrological conditions in the past 50 years, demonstrating the impacts of human disturbances on the global and local carbon cycling. Finally, we addressed that organic carbon flux should be reassessed using adequate samples (i.e. at least two times in low‐flow month, four times in high‐flow month and one time per day during the flood period), daily water discharge and sediment loads and appropriate estimate method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution and sources of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in suspended particulate matter in water from two Brazilian estuarine systems

The levels of selected organic markers, including 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 16 of which are classified as priority pollutants by the US-EPA and perylene, aliphatic hydrocarbons (total and linear alkanes) and petroleum biomarkers (hopanes and steranes), were measured in suspended particulate matter (SPM) of the Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine-lagoon system (MMELS) in northeastern Brazil and the Paraíba do Sul River (PSR) estuary in southeastern Brazil, both of which are affected by sugarcane agriculture and urbanization. A total of 33 surface water samples of SPM were collected (22 from the MMELS and 11 from the PSR). The ∑16PAH ranged from 221 to 1243 ng g⁻¹ in the MMELS and from 228 to 1814 ng g⁻¹ in the PSR. Hopane and sterane concentrations in the PSR were higher than in the MMELS due to the input from petrogenic sources in PSR. The contributions of higher plants were also observed by n-alkane analyses. The PAH isomeric ratios indicated that the SPM from MMELS showed characteristics of combustion from biomass or petroleum and PSR was associated to petrogenic input, either from combustion or from unburned petroleum. Three sampling sites located near to the sugarcane plant and mouth of the rivers showed higher PAH concentrations and may largely be considered as highly contaminated. However, levels of n-alkanes and petroleum biomarkers in both study areas were relatively low.     

Composite suspended sediment particles in river systems: their incidence,dynamics and physical characteristics

Most of the existing data on the effective particle size characteristics of fluvial suspended sediment derive from instantaneous sampling methods that may not be representative of the overall suspended sediment loads. This presents difficulties when there is a need to incorporate effective particle size data into numerical models of floodplain sedimentation and sediment‐associated contaminant transfer. We have used a field‐based water elutriation apparatus (WEA) to assemble a large (36 flood) database on the time‐integrated nature of the effective and absolute particle size characteristics of suspended sediment in four subcatchments of the River Exe basin of southwest England. These catchments encompass a wide range of terrains and fluvial environments that are broadly representative of much of the UK and temperate, low relief northwest Europe. The WEA provides important data on the physical characteristics of composite particles that are not attainable using other methods. This dataset has allowed, for the first time, detailed interbasin comparisons of the time‐integrated particle size characteristics of suspended sediment and reliable estimates of the contribution of five effective size classes to the mean annual suspended sediment load of the study catchments. The suspended sediment load of each river is dominated by composite rather than primary particles, with, for example, almost 60% (by mass) of the sediment load of the River Exe at Thorverton transported as composite particles > 16 µm in size. All the effective size classes contain significant clay components. A key outcome of this study is the recognition that each catchment has a distinctive time‐integrated effective particle size signature. In addition, the time‐integrated effective particle size characteristics of the suspended loads in each of the catchments display much greater spatial variability than the equivalent absolute particle size distributions. This indicates that the processes producing composite particles vary significantly between these catchments, and this has important implications for our understanding of the dynamics of suspended sediment properties. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Composition and flux of suspended organic matter in the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) — impact of the Three Gorges Dam and the role of tributaries and channel erosion

To investigate the sources of particulate organic matter (POM) and the impact of Three Gorges Dam (TGD), two large lakes and erosion processes on determining the composition and flux of POM in low water discharge periods along the middle and lower Changjiang, suspended particulate samples were collected along the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) in January 2008. Organic geochemistry of bulk sediment (particulate organic carbon, organic carbon to nitrogen molar ratio (C/N), stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) and grain size) and biomarker of bulk sediment (lignin phenols) were measured to trace the sources of POM. The range of C/N ratios (6.4–8.9), δ¹³C (?24.3‰ – ?26.2‰) and lignin phenols concentration Λ8 (0.45 mg/100 mg OC‐2.00 mg/100 mg OC) of POM suggested that POM originated from the mixture of soil, plant tissue and autochthonous organic matter (OM) during the dry season. POM from lakes contained a higher portion of terrestrial OM than the mainstream, which was related to sand mining and hydropower erosion processes. A three end‐member model based on δ¹³C and Λ8 was performed. The results indicated that soil contributed approximately 50% of OM to the POM, which is the dominant OM source in most stations. POM composition was affected by total suspended matter (TSM) and grain size composition, and the direct OM input from two lakes and channel erosion induced OM. The lower TSM concentration in January 2008 was mainly caused by seasonal variations; the impact from the TGD in the dry season was relatively small. A box model indicated that more than 90% of the terrestrial OM transported by the Changjiang in January 2008 was from the middle and lower drainage basins. Channel erosion induced OM, and contributions from Poyang Lake were the major terrestrial OM sources in the dry season. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Input-output Balances of Nutrients and Plankton in a Flooded Area of the Lower Odra

The retention of particulate matter of the Odra River in flooded areas was estimated by determining suspended particulate matter (SPM) elimination and particle-bound nutrient retention in a polder area of the Lower Odra Valley national park. Water and suspended matter samples collected before, during, and after the 1997 summer flood at the inlet and the outlet of the investigated polder (Polder A/B close to Schwedt) offer the opportunity to balance the matter retention inside the floodplain. The maximum level of retained SPM (more than 80%) was calculated for the record flood of summer 1997, while in ordinary winter floods retention differs between 33% and 70%. Basic properties of the flowing particles like settling velocity, density, loss on ignition etc. change on their way through the polder area. In the investigated Polder A/B a retention of at least 50% of particle-bound phosphorus which was independent of the incoming suspended matter load from the Odra River was observed. The retention of particle-bound nitrogen and carbon varied seasonally to different extents. The presented balance demonstrates that particle-bound nutrient retention in polders is an important factor in the self-purification process of the river system. Some additional effort was done to study changes of plankton composition: during a joint field experiment in spring 1998, the authors determined biological parameters (abundance and biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton) of water samples at polder inflow and outflow points.     

Pre‐ and post‐impoundment nitrogen in the lower Missouri River

Large water‐sample sets collected from 1899 through 1902, 1907, and in the early 1950s allow comparisons of pre‐impoundment and post‐impoundment (1969 through 2008) nitrogen concentrations in the lower Missouri River. Although urban wastes were not large enough to detectably increase annual loads of total nitrogen at the beginning of the 20^th century, carcass waste, stock‐yard manure, and untreated human wastes measurably increased ammonia and organic‐nitrogen concentrations during low flows. Average total‐nitrogen concentrations in both periods were about 2.5 mg/l, but much of the particulate‐organic nitrogen, which was the dominant form of nitrogen around 1900, has been replaced by nitrate. This change in speciation was caused by the nearly 80% decrease in suspended‐sediment concentrations that occurred after impoundment, modern agriculture, drainage of riparian wetlands, and sewage treatment. Nevertheless, bioavailable nitrogen has not been low enough to limit primary production in the Missouri River since the beginning of the 20^th century. Nitrate concentrations have increased more rapidly from 2000 through 2008 (5 to 12% per year), thus increasing bioavailable nitrogen delivered to the Mississippi River and affecting Gulf Coast hypoxia. The increase in nitrate concentrations with distance downstream is much greater during the post‐impoundment period. If strategies to decrease total‐nitrogen loads focus on particulate N, substantial decreases will be difficult because particulate nitrogen is now only 23% of total nitrogen in the Missouri River. A strategy aimed at decreasing particulates also could further exacerbate land loss along the Gulf of Mexico, which has been sediment starved since Missouri River impoundment. In contrast, strategies or benchmarks aimed at decreasing nitrate loads could substantially decrease nitrogen loadings because nitrates now constitute over half of the Missouri's nitrogen input to the Mississippi. Ongoing restoration and creation of wetlands along the Missouri River could be part of such a nitrate‐reduction strategy. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Distribution of organochlorines in the dissolved and suspended phase of the sea-surface microlayer and seawater in Hong Kong, China

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were measured in the dissolved and suspended particulate phase in the sea-surface microlayer (SML) and subsurface water (SSW) collected from Hong Kong's coastal environment. The concentration ranges (pg/L) for summation sigmaHCHs, summation sigmaDDTs and summation sigmaPCBs in the SSW dissolved phase (DP i.e. sum of truly dissolved and colloidal phase) were 409-940 (mean 602), 774-5583 (mean 1908) and 266-433 (mean 278), respectively. The concentration ranges (pg/L) for summation sigmaHCHs, summation sigmaDDTs and summation sigmaPCBs in SSW suspended particulate matter (SPM) were <5-85 (mean 59), 358-1369 (mean 787) and 85.6-273 (mean 172), respectively. The enrichment factor of PCBs and OCPs in the SML varied between 1.1 and 4.5 for the DP, and 0.4-8.2 for the SPM. The distribution of contaminants between DP and SPM in both the SML and SSW indicates that particulate matter plays an important role in the distribution and fate of DDTs and PCBs, but not for HCH isomers. The Pearl River Estuary is likely to be a major source of contaminants transported to Hong Kong.     

Heavy metal inflow into the floodplains at the mouth of the river Weiße Elster (Central Germany)

From 1998 to 2002 investigations were carried out to estimate both the quantity and quality (heavy metal contents) of suspended matter loads discharged into a floodplain area measuring approx. 5 km² of the Central German river Weiße Elster, a tributary of the river Saale in the Elbe river basin. Flood sediments, suspended particulate matter, and floodplain soils were investigated especially for the main pollutants Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, and Hg. Supplementary gamma spectroscopy examinations were performed to help to identify the age of deposits in order to estimate sedimentation rates for last decades. The recent flood sediments are contaminated by up to 33 times the geogenic background (Cd). Up to 55% of the total annual SPM load of the river Weiße Elster is relocated into the investigated retention area in the flood‐stricken year 2002. The sedimentation rates for the last 50 years vary between 0.5 mm/a and 1 mm/a in far away and rarely flooded parts and between 1 mm/a and 2 mm/a in the frequently flooded parts of the inflow of the retention area.     

Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb in the water column and sediments of the Ob-Irtysh Rivers, Russia

Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb were determined in filtered water, suspended particulate matter, and bottom sediments from a 2000 km section of the Ob and Irtysh Rivers. Dissolved Cd, Cr, Cu and Ni concentrations are similar to, or higher than, results from other Russian Arctic and large world river-estuaries. Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb in suspended particulate matter are generally comparable to results from other Russian Arctic and large world rivers and estuaries. Comparison of trace metal ratios in crustal material and suspended particulate matter and bottom sediment suggests that the source of Cr, Cu and Ni is continental weathering. Particulate Cd and Pb are elevated relative to their crustal abundance, suggesting a source of these metals to the Ob-Irtysh in addition to continental weathering.