Speciation of Al, Fe, and P in recent sediment from three lakes in Maine, USA

Sequential extraction of sediments [Psenner R, Pucsko R. Die Fraktionierung organischer und anorganischer Phosphorverbindungen von Sedimenten. Arch Hydrobiol/Suppl 1988. 70(1): 111-155.] from short, (210)Pb-dated cores from three lakes in Maine USA demonstrates that sediment P is dominantly associated with the NaOH-extractable fraction (P-NaOH(25)) and less with the bicarbonate-dithionite extractable fraction (P-BD). The ratios (Al-NaOH(25))/(Fe-BD) and (Al-NaOH(25))/(P-NH(4)Cl+P-BD) for upper sediment for two oligo-mesotrophic lakes exceeded 3 and 25, the thresholds for preventing substantial release of P from sediments during hypolimnetic anoxia [Kopácek J, Borovec J, Hejzlar J, Ulrich K-U, Norton SA, Amirbahman A. Aluminum control of phosphorus sorption by lake sediments. Environ Sci Technol 2005a;39:8784-8789.]. Hypolimnetic water chemistry verifies this effect. The third lake, currently eutrophic, has values for the ratios that are below the thresholds and this lake has substantial release of P from recent sediment. The sediment characteristics remain relatively constant over the last 150+ years, indicating that the processes responsible for P retention have operated long before atmospheric acidification of watersheds might have influenced the flux of Al and Fe to the lake. In 2002, the pH of inlets and the lakes was generally between 6 and 8. Input to the lakes had high concentrations of acid-soluble particulate and dissolved Al, Fe, and P, and dissolved Al and Fe complexed with dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Lake water column and outlet Al, Fe, and P were typically 90-95% lower than inlet concentrations over a 12 month period. Photo-oxidation of Al-DOC and Fe-DOC in the lake, liberation of inorganic Al and Fe, precipitation of Al(OH)(3) and Fe(OH)(3), adsorption of P by the hydroxides, and sedimentation are responsible for the changes in water quality and long-term sediment characteristics.     

Factors contributing to the internal loading of phosphorus from anoxic sediments in six Maine, USA, lakes

Phosphorus (P) is the limiting macronutrient for primary production in most lakes. Seasonal anoxia in the hypolimnion of lakes has been strongly correlated with internal P loading to the water column. Gravimetric sediment cores were collected before and after the onset of anoxia in six Maine (USA) lakes during the summer of 2003. This study investigates the relative importance of P sequestration by aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3(s)), and ferric (oxy)hydroxide (Fe(OH)3(S)) dissolution with subsequent P release in lakes with varying trophic status. Two lakes, Pennesseewassee and Highland, are oligotrophic. The remaining lakes, China, Cobbosseecontee, Webber and Salmon, have varying levels of productivity. Sediment P, Al and Fe in the top 10 cm were extracted sequentially using ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), bicarbonate-dithionite (BD), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 25 degrees C. The results suggest that a sediment [NH4Cl-Al+BD-Al+NaOH25-Al]:[NH4Cl-Fe+BD-Fe] molar ratio >3 and a sediment [NaOH25-Al]:[NH4Cl-P+BD-P] molar ratio >25 predict low P flux from sediments during the development of anoxia, as proposed by Kopácek et al. [Kopácek J, Borovec J, Hejzlar J, Ulrich K, Norton S, Amirbahman A. Aluminum control of Phosphorus Sorption in Lake Sediments. Environ Sci Technol 2005; 39: 8784-8789.], despite the development of anoxia in and the release of Fe(II) from the hypolimnia of the two study lakes. However, when these molar ratios are not exceeded the model does not adequately describe sedimentary P flux. The application of the model proposed by Kopácek et al. to Cobbosseecontee Lake suggests that its sediment may be a source of P to the water column. However, water column data indicate little to no sedimentary P flux. Therefore, the lack of P flux may be attributed to the absence of Fe(III) reduction in the Cobbosseecontee Lake sediment or perhaps to the slow diagenesis of organically-bound P.     

Long-term effects of phosphorus precipitations with alum in hypereutrophic Lake Süsser See (Germany)

Precipitation and inactivation of phosphorus (P) by the addition of aluminum (Al) is a widely applied lake restoration measure. Many studies about short-term effects are reported, but little is known about long-term effects. To reduce this lack of knowledge we investigated the German hardwater lake, Süsser See, which was treated almost annually from 1977 to 1992 with aluminum sulfate (alum). We conducted sediment core experiments in laboratory, as well as in situ investigations of sediment and pore water. The treatment is clearly recognizable in sediment depth profiles as increases of total phosphorus, NaOH-extractable phosphorus, and NaOH-extractable aluminum. The molar ratio of added Al to additionally bound P is approximately 2.1:1. Pore water profiles of soluble reactive phosphorus taken in situ and in sediment core experiments, as well as sorption batch experiments, illustrate that the Al(OH)3 layer's sorptive capacity is still not exhausted with further P sorption occurring in different P fractions. The P release of the sediment is affected by the magnitude of the downward flux into the P sorbing layer. However, sediment core experiments and a modeling exercise indicate that a buried P sorbing layer has little or no effect on the P release of the uppermost fresh sediment layers.     

Mobility and profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in sediment of Ya-Er Lake, China

The sediment of Ya-Er Lake had been heavily polluted by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from the former chloralkali industry. The total amounts of PCDD/Fs and I-TEQ decreased along the water flow direction and also decreased from top to bottom layers of sediment cores. Sediment of Pond 1 was dominated by PCDF. especially TCDF. In contrast, in the other four ponds, PCDD dominated in all layers and octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) predominated in all of the homologues. When homologue profiles from sediments and water samples were compared using principal component analysis (PCA), the first two principal components represented 95.2% of the variance in the data. The first component explained 75.9% of the variance and the second one 19.3%. Two clusters were most distinct, presenting a shift in PCDD/Fs composition from PCDF to heptachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (HpCDD) and OCDD in sediments and water from Pond I to Ponds 2-5. The pattern variation between Pond I and Ponds 2-5 in Ya-Er Lake was most likely due to the change of process in the chemical plant after the dams between the ponds were built. The results of the present study also showed that log Koc of PCDD/Fs calculated from data of sediment and water in the field were comparable with theoretical log Koc. The results also implied that the concentrations of PCDD/Fs in water and sediments could be predicted from each other by log Koc.     

The effects of pH on the aluminum, iron and calcium phosphate fractions of lake sediments

A laboratory study was conducted to determine the effect of sediment pH on the amount of phosphorus bound in the aluminum, iron, calcium and saloid-bound fractions of sediments from Lake Carl Blackwell, Oklahoma. The pH of the lake sediment samples was experimentally altered by mixing them with distilled water with pH values ranging from 1 to 12. Once the pH of the sediment and overlying water had equilibrated, a one gram sample was fractionated using a modified Chang & Jackson procedure to determine the phosphorus bound in each fraction. The point of minimum fixation for this sediment was found to occur at a pH of 7.33. Aluminum and iron phosphate fractions were predominant in an acidic environment. There was more phosphorus found in the aluminum and iron fractions than in the calcium fraction and the amount of saloid bound phosphorus was minimal at every pH investigated.     

Examining the link between terrestrial and aquatic phosphorus speciation in a subtropical catchment: the role of selective erosion and transport of fine sediments during storm events

This study examined the link between terrestrial and aquatic phosphorus (P) speciation in the soils and sediments of a subtropical catchment. Specifically, the study aimed to identify the relative importance of P speciation in source soils, erosion and transport processes upstream, and aquatic transformation processes as determinants of P speciation in lake sediments (Lake Wivenhoe). Using a sequential extraction technique, NH₄Cl extractable P (NH₄Cl-P; exchangeable P), bicarbonate-dithionite extractable P (BD-P; reductant soluble P), NaOH extractable P (NaOH-rP; Al/Fe oxide P), HCl extractable P (HCl-P; apatite-P), and residual-P (Res-P; organic and residual inorganic P) fractions were compared in different soil/sediment compartments of the upper Brisbane River (UBR) catchment, Queensland, Australia. Multidimensional scaling identified two distinct groups of samples, one consisting of lake sediments and suspended sediments, and another consisting of riverbed sediments and soils. The riverbed sediments and soils had significantly higher HCl-P and lower NaOH-rP and Res-P relative to the lake and suspended sediments (P < 0.05). Analysis of the enrichment factors (EFs) of soils and riverbed sediments showed that fine grained particles (<63 μm) were enriched in all but the HCl-P fraction. This indicated that as finer particles are eroded from the soil surface and transported downstream there is a preferential export of non-apatite P (NaOH-rP, NaOH-nrP, BD-P and Res-P). Therefore, due to the preferential erosion and transport of fine sediments, the lake sediments contained a higher proportion of more labile forms of inorganic-P relative to the broader soil/sediment system. Our results suggest that a greater focus on the effect of selective erosion and transport on sediment P speciation in lakes and reservoirs is needed to better target management strategies aimed at reducing P availability, particularly in P-limited water bodies impacted by soil erosion.     

Natural inactivation of phosphorus by aluminum in atmospherically acidified water bodies

Atmospheric acidification of catchment-lake ecosystems may provide natural conditions for the in-lake control of P cycling. This process is based on the elevated transport of aluminum from acidified soils and its subsequent precipitation in the water body and is described for strongly acidified forest lakes, acidified and circumneutral reservoirs, and a moderately acidified alpine lake. In water bodies with episodically or permanently acidified inflows a pH gradient develops between lake water and tributaries due to: (i) neutralization of acidic inflows after mixing with waters with undepleted carbonate buffering system, and/or (ii) the in-lake alkalinity generation dominated by biochemical removal of NO3- and SO4(2-). With the pH increasing towards neutrality, ionic Al species hydrolyze and form colloidal Al hydroxides (Al(part)) with large specific surfaces and strong ability to bind orthophosphate from the liquid phase. Moreover, Alpart settles and increases the P sorption capacity of the sediment. The presence of Al(part) on the bottom reduces orthophosphate release from sediments after its liberation from ferric oxyhydroxides during anoxia because Al(part) is not sensitive to redox changes. Consequently, the natural in-lake P inactivation may be expected in any water body with elevated Al input and a pH gradient between its inlet and outlet.     

Factors affecting phosphate adsorption to aluminum in lake water: implications for lake restoration

Treatment of lake inlets or lake sediments with aluminum (Al) is being increasingly used for lake restoration but only few studies exist concerning competitive substances that might influence phosphate (PO(4)(3-)) removal from lake water. Therefore, chemical interferences of several ions (magnesium, silicate, chloride and humic acid) on PO(4)(3-) adsorption to Al(OH)(3) were studied. Interference of each ion was studied in artificial lake water, and the complex interactions occurring in natural water were studied in water from 30 Danish lakes at pH 7 in both cases. In the artificial lake water Al:P ratio was high as sediment P-pools were the targets while in the natural lake water Al addition was generally lower as only P present in the water was targeted (i.e. inlet water). The single-ion experiments evidenced that silicate (>200 microM) and humic acids significantly decreased the effectiveness of PO(4)(3-) adsorption to Al(OH)(3) by 10-13% at 450 microM Si and 17% at 1 mM C, respectively. NaCl did not influence adsorption of PO(4)(3-) to Al(OH)(3), however, PO(4)(3-) removal was slightly reduced in seawater, mainly due to the presence of Mg(2+). The studies on interferences in natural lake water showed that as long as the PO(4)(3-) concentration was low (<5 microM), silicate competed with PO(4)(3-) for adsorption sites on Al(OH)(3) but at higher PO(4)(3-) concentrations, color and DOC (as indicators of HA) were the main variables decreasing PO(4)(3-) removal from lake water. Inhibition of PO(4)(3-) precipitation in natural lake water appeared complex and did not allow for a simple calculation of Al dose from the concentration of potentially competitive ions. Recommendation for lake management is therefore still that precipitation assays should be carried out for any type of inlet or lake water prior to Al application.     

Chemistry of trace elements in coalbed methane product water

Extraction of methane (natural gas) from coal deposits is facilitated by pumping of aquifer water. Coalbed methane (CBM) product water, produced from pumping ground water, is discharged into associated unlined holding ponds. The objective of this study was to examine the chemistry of trace elements in CBM product water at discharge points and in associated holding ponds across the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Product water samples from discharge points and associated holding ponds were collected from the Cheyenne River (CHR), Belle Fourche River (BFR), and Little Powder River (LPR) watersheds during the summers of 1999 and 2000. Samples were analyzed for pH, Al (aluminum), As (arsenic), B (boron), Ba (barium), Cr (chromium), Cu (copper), F (fluoride), Fe (iron), Mn (manganese), Mo (molybdenum), Se (selenium), and Zn (zinc). Chemistry of trace element concentrations were modeled with the MINTEQA2 geochemical equilibrium model. Results of this study show that pH of product water for three watersheds increased in holding ponds. For example the pH of CBM product water increased from 7.21 to 8.26 for LPR watershed. Among three watersheds, the CBM product water exhibited relatively less change in trace element concentrations in CHR watershed holding ponds. Concentration of dissolved Al, Fe, As, Se, and F in product water increased in BFR watershed holding ponds. For example, concentration of dissolved Fe increased from 113 to 135 microg/L. Boron, Cu, and Zn concentrations of product water did not change in BFR watershed holding ponds. However, concentration of dissolved Ba, Mn, and Cr in product water decreased in BFR watershed holding ponds. For instance, Ba and Cr concentrations decreased from 445 to 386 microg/L and from 43.6 to 25.1 microg/L, respectively. In the LPR watershed, Al, Fe, As, Se, and F concentrations of product water increased substantially in holding ponds. For example, Fe concentration increased from 192 to 312 microg/L. However, concentration of dissolved Ba, Mn, Cr, and Zn decreased in holding ponds. Geochemical modeling calculations suggested that observed increase of Al and Fe concentrations in holding ponds was due to increase in concentration of Al(OH)(4)(-) and Fe(OH)(4)(-) species in water which were responsible for pH increases. Decreases in Ba, Mn, Cr, and Zn concentrations were attributed to the increase in pH, resulting in precipitates of BaSO(4) (barite), MnCO(3) (rhodochrosite), Cr(OH)(2) (chromium hydroxide), and ZnCO(3) (smithsonite) in pond waters, respectively.     

Sediment-water exchange in Lough Ennell with particular reference to phosphorus

The significance and evaluation of sediment phosphorus in the continuing eutropic conditions noted in Lough Ennell was assessed. A high positive correlation exists between the concentrations of total Fe, citrate dithionite bicarbonate (CDB) extractable Fe, organic content, total Al and a number of phosphorus fractions (total P, inorganic P, organic P, apatite P and CDB extractable P) for all samples recovered. A significant inverse correlation was noted between CaCO₃ and most of the other parameters measured whereas no correlations were found for Mn. The sediment adsorption capacity for orthophosphate was found to be about 450 μg P g⁻¹ sediment. Phosphate release from hypolimnetic anaerobic sediments was considered unimportant in the biological sense due to the lack of mobility of this nutrient to the photic zones. Bioavailable P in the littoral zones (assumed to be non-apatite inorganic phosphorus, NAIP) comprised 14.5 tonnes in the uppermost 2 cm sediment layer, which is about 2.5 times the average annual external total P load. Littoral zone sediments, which are normally aerobic, accounted for an internal areal loading of 134 mg P m⁻² yr⁻¹ which is equivalent to 17 and 30% of the average external total P and inorganic P loadings respectively. This internal loading is a major contributory factor in the continuing eutrophic status of the lake.     

Temporal and spatial variation of phosphate distribution in the sediment of a free water surface constructed wetland

This study was aimed at determining the spatial and temporal variation of P distribution in sediment of an artificial wetland for sewage and industrial wastewater treatment, and the fraction that is potentially involved in the P exchange processes. Influent, effluent, macrophytes and sediment at the inlet, middle and outlet areas were sampled over 24 months. The P-fractionation in sediment was performed following the EDTA method. Eichhornia crassipes and Typha domingensis removed P efficiently when cover was high, but E. crassipes caused anoxic conditions. The increase in cover of T. domingensis may contribute to attain oxic conditions and to improve P removal. When macrophytes are not present or when cover is low, sediment seems to increase removal efficiency. A significant increase in the concentration of the fraction of Fe(OOH) approximately P and mainly that of CaCO(3) approximately P can be observed at the inlet. High pH, Ca(2+) and CO(3)(-)(2) concentrations in the influent suggest that P co-precipitates together with CaCO(3). Therefore, it seems that CaCO(3) approximately P represents the main precipitating mechanism. However, mineralization of organic matter maintained the sediment at a pH range lower than the high values prevailing in the influent. CO(3)(-)(2) could undergo partial dissolution and the released i-P(diss) could be readsorbed onto the Fe(OOH) approximately P fraction. Since the environment for P retention (high pH, Fe, Ca and ionic concentrations) is largely provided by the influent, the wetland may be expected to continue retaining P as far as the composition of the influent is maintained and there are available adsorption sites in the sediment.     

Variability in phosphorus binding by aluminum in alum treated lakes explained by lake morphology and aluminum dose

Sediment cores from six aluminum sulfate treated lakes in Minneapolis, MN were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of phosphorus (P) binding by aluminum (Al). Two of the study lakes are polymictic and the remaining four are dimictic. Above background concentrations of Al and Al-bound-P (P_Al) were detected in all six lakes at varying sediment depths. In contrast to previous studies, however, the binding relationship between Al and P was not consistent between lakes and substantial variation was also detected within each sediment profile. Average lake sediment Al:P_Al ratios ranged from 5.6 to 15 (molar) with higher ratios, or less efficient P binding, generally being detected in deep, dimictic lakes with high sediment Al content due to treatment. Multiple linear regression was used to explain the variability among average Al:P_Al ratios detected in each core and a lake morphometry index (Al Depth Index, core collection depth divided by the square root of lake area) along with Al dose described most of the variation (92%). Even though P bound to the added Al appears to be permanently removed from the internal P cycle in each lake (as evidenced by burial with new sediment), the differences in binding efficiency may indicate lower P inactivation, on a per unit Al basis, when elevated amounts of Al are added to the sediment, especially in deeper areas of lakes where sediment focusing may cause elevated Al accumulation to occur.     

A case study on trace metals in surface sediments and dissolved inorganic nutrients in surface water of Olüdeniz Lagoon-Mediterranean, Turkey

Hydro-chemical parameters (salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, silicate and phosphate) in seawater and major trace metals (Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Zn, Pb, Cu) in sediments were evaluated for the assessment of quality of seawater and sediments in very small lagoon in Mediterranean, Olüdeniz. Enrichment factors for metals in sediment were in the range of 1.62-8.09, comparable to crustal rock composition. For metals, comparison with literature data revealed relatively low metal concentrations for Olüdeniz sediments. Correlation analyses on the sediment metal data showed strong correlation in between Cr, Fe and Zn. Surface water salinity slightly decreases within the lagoon, indicating that limited fresh waters inflow to the lagoon. In October, the lagoon waters contained very low phosphate concentrations but measurable values of nitrate and silicate, yielding high NO(3)(-)/PO(4)(3-) ratios (90). Very low Chlorophyll-a (biomass indicator) concentrations measured in the lagoon suggest the phosphorus limitation of primary productivity.     

Horizontal and vertical variability of mercury species in pore water and sediments in small lakes in Ontario

Mary Lake, St. George Lake, and Philips Lake are located in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. These lakes are relatively small and have no direct inflow and outflow channels. Mercury (Hg) input to the lakes comes mainly from atmospheric deposition. Sediment cores from the points of the maximum lake depth and surface sediment samples from the points of maximum lake depth to the bank of each lake were collected in October 2005. Total and methyl mercury concentrations in the pore water and sediments of these samples were determined. In these small lakes with high organic content, there was no correlation between organic content and total mercury (THg) in the samples throughout the entire sediment cores while strong positive correlation between these two parameters was observed in all the surface sediments. Compared with typical methylmercury (MeHg) depth-profiles of sediment cores in other studies, where MeHg concentrations and methylation rates decreased sharply with increasing depth, MeHg distributions in the sediment cores in this study showed that MeHg might have been produced not only in the upper sediment but also in the deeper sediments, which resulted in a larger MeHg reservoir in the sediment. Organic matter, to some extent, affected MeHg distributions in the samples throughout the entire sediment cores. Concentrations of MeHg in all the surface sediments, however, were not controlled by organic matter, whereas they were largely a function of water column depths. Total mercury concentrations in pore water were relatively homogenous in both the sediment cores and surface sediment while MeHg in pore water generally deceased with increasing depth in the sediment cores and increasing distance from the centre of the lakes in surface sediments. Methylmercury contributed 1% to 76% of THg in the pore water samples. Concentrations and distributions of MeHg in overlying water and sediment-surface water in Mary Lake and St. George Lake suggested that both in situ production of MeHg in lake water and the release of MeHg from sediment contributed to high MeHg in deep anoxic water.     

Influence of liming on metal sequestration in lake sediments over recent decades

Sediment profiles from five limed and six reference softwater lakes included in Swedish monitoring programmes were subjected to multi-element analysis to investigate the influence of lime treatment since 1977 on the sequestration of metals in lake sediments. We hypothesised that liming causes increased sedimentation of elements for which the mobility is primarily controlled by pH, e.g. Al, Cd, Co, Ni and Zn, whereas elements that are less influenced by pH fluctuations, e.g. Hg and Pb, are not affected by lime treatment. Further, we introduce a normalisation of metal concentrations with respect to Cu concentration in order to separate the effects of lime treatment from those related to temporal trends in airborne metal deposition or short-term variations in environmental conditions. This approach is shown to emphasise the effect of liming on the sediment accumulation of metals, thus separating it from other sources of variability. We found that liming causes increased sequestration of Al, As, Cd, Co, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn, in the case of As and Co probably at least partly caused by an increased adsorption to Al, Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides. On the other hand, no influence of lime treatment could be demonstrated for Hg, Pb, Cr, V and P, despite an increase of pH by about two units.     

Heavy metals in Lake Balaton: water column, suspended matter, sediment and biota

During the period 1999-2002, five sampling cruises have been carried out on Lake Balaton to assess trace metal distribution in the lake and to identify major sources. Eighteen elements, including Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb (trace metals) and Al, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Sr (major metals), were determined in one or more of the lake's compartments. Lower trace metal concentrations in rainwater were observed in June and February 2000, while much higher levels were present in September 2001 (during a storm event) and in snow (February 2000). In the Northern and Western parts of the lake, especially at the inflow of river Zala and the locations of the yacht harbours, metal concentrations were higher in almost all compartments. Because the lake is very shallow, storm conditions also change significantly the metal distributions in the dissolved and particulate phases. The Kis-Balaton protection system located on Zala river functions very efficiently for retaining suspended particulate matter (SPM; 72% retention) and associated metals. Metal concentrations in surface sediments of the lake showed a high variability. After normalisation for the fine sediment fraction, only a few stations including Zala mouth appeared to be enriched in trace metals. In zooplankton, Zn seemed to be much more elevated compared to the other trace metals. Based on the molar ratios of the trace metals in the various compartments and input flows of the lake, several trends could be deduced. For example, molar ratios of the trace metals in the dissolved and solid (suspended particulate matter and sediments) phases in the lake are fairly similar to those in Zala River.     

Concentrations and leachability of chemical elements in estuarine sulfur-rich sediments, W. Finland

Concentrations, distributions and mobility of chemical elements were investigated in reduced sulfur-rich estuarine sediments located in western Finland. The main objective was to determine the possible extent of metal leaching when dredged masses of these sulfur-rich sediments are dumped on the land and thus exposed to air. When dredged, the reduced sulfur in the sediments oxidises resulting in a lowering of pH, which in turn is expected to leach metals. The study area is an artificial lake claimed from the Botnian sea in 1962. In this lake, several mass-kills of fish have occurred, believed partly to be due to dredging. Two sediment samples (0-50 and 50-100 cm) were taken from 39 sampling points in the lake. These samples were leached in aqua regia (2:2:2 HNO3/HCl/H2O1) and analysed for Fe, Al, Mg, Ca, K, P, Na, Mn, Zn, Ba, V, Sr, Cr, Ni, Cu, Co, As, Pb, B, Mo and Cd with ICP-AES. Sulfur and organic carbon were analysed with Leco. In a controlled laboratory experiment, the sediments were allowed to oxidise for 1 year while moisturised with deionised water every month. The pH and conductivity were determined in the beginning of the experiment (reduced state) and in the end (oxidised state). In the supernatants in the oxidised states the amount of leached metals (Na, Al, Mn, Zn, Sr, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, U, Li, Rb and As) were determined with ICP-MS. The sediments were found to contain low levels of toxic metals but, as expected, high concentrations of sulfur. In the experiment, pH was lowered (down to 3.0) and the conductivity increased in all samples due to oxidation and release of metal ions. The extent of leaching varied between 0.03% for As and 12.3% for Na. Critical pH values, at which high amounts of metals begin to leach, were obtained graphically. These values varied between 4.8 (Ni) and 3.3 (Cr). Not all elements were controlled by pH, e.g. Mn correlated well with its aqua regia leachable concentration. In a planned dredging operation in the area some 23,300 t (10,500 m3) (dry wt.) of sediments will be dredged. The amounts of metals likely to be leached, according to the results from this study, are as follows (kg): Al (1710), Mn (1230), Zn (59), Sr (39), Co (13), Ni (12), Cu (2) and less than 1 kg of Cd-Cr-As-Pb.     

Particle-size distribution and phosphorus levels in soil, sediment, and urban dust and dirt samples from the Menomonee River Watershed, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Soil, bottom sediment, suspended sediment, and urban street dust and dirt samples from the Menomonee River Watershed, Wisconsin, were dispersed by ultrasound, fractionated and analyzed for the P content of each of three particle-size fractions. The major soil types in the watershed were used as a reference for comparing particle-size distribution and P content in urban street dust and dirt, and in sediments.Phosphorus level was found to be greater in the clay-sized particles than in the sand- or silt-sized particles of urban street dust and dirt samples, but 48% of the P was in the sand-sized fraction because of the predominance of sand-sized particles in these samples. The highest P level in the clay-sized fraction of the bottom sediments occurred at the site below a sanitary treatment plant (STP) outfall with secondary treatment capability. The P level found below a tertiary STP outfall was equal to the level found in agricultural areas. When using P level in sediment for locating areas of possible P input to the river, the clay-sized fraction of bottom sediments was more precise than P levels in unfractionated samples.     

Distribution of some trace metals in Lochnagar, a Scottish mountain lake ecosystem and its catchment

Anthropogenic trace metals enter the entire ecosystem of Lochnagar solely through atmospheric deposition. Trace metals, including Hg, have been monitored in atmospheric deposition and lake water, and measured in catchment vegetation, aquatic plants and zooplankton, revealing contamination levels in the ecosystem. Furthermore, 17 sediment cores were taken from different areas of the lake. Hg, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu were analysed in all the cores, which show that the sediments have been heavily contaminated by these trace metals since the 1860s. The distribution of trace metals in the lake sediments was found to be heterogeneous, with concentrations in the surface sediments varying significantly: 110-250 ng/g, 100-360 microg/g, 39-180 microg/g, 0.3-1.9 microg/g and 8-25 microg/g for Hg, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu, respectively. Trends in the concentration profiles for different trace metals in the same core are different, as are the trends of the profiles for the same metal in different cores. Hence, a single sediment core cannot represent the pollution history of the whole lake. As the soils and sediments contain a high proportion of plant debris and the debris has a high affinity for Hg, resulting in Hg enrichment. Hg was measured in plant debris (> 63 microm) separated from catchment soils and lake sediments. Plant debris may play an important role in storing and transferring Hg in this ecosystem.     

Influence of sediment redox conditions on release/solubility of metals and nutrients in a Louisiana Mississippi River deltaic plain freshwater lake

The influence of sediment redox conditions on solubility of selected metals and nutrients in sediment from a coastal Louisiana freshwater lake (Lake Cataouatche) receiving diverted Mississippi River water was quantified. Sediment redox was cycled step wise in 50 mV increments between oxidized (-200 to +500 mV) and reduced (+500 to -200 mV) conditions. Changes in sediment oxidation/reduction status and pH influenced solubility of both metals and nutrients. When redox potential (Eh) was increased from -200 to +500 mV, sediment pH decreased from 7.1 to 5.7. When the sediment Eh decreased from +500 to -200 mV, pH increased from 5.7 to 7.1. The increase in sediment acidity upon oxidation resulted in the release of the Pb, Ca, Mg, Al, and Zn into solution. The solution concentration of these elements was inversely proportional to Eh (P相似文献