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Contrasting behaviour of dissolved and particulate nickel and zinc in a polluted estuary

1988; Elsevier BV; Volume: 71; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0048-9697(88)90163-5

1879-1026

J.A. Campbell, K. Whitelaw, J.P. Riley, Pepler Head, Peter Jones,

Water Quality and Pollution Assessment

The distributions of dissolved and particulate nickel and zinc in the Mersey estuary have been studied in a series of surveys covering the period 1980–1984. Sampling exercises were conducted over a range of tidal and river flow conditions. For both elements, metal versus salinity plots indicate inputs of dissolved nickel and zinc in the middle and upper estuary. We suggest that the influx of nickel originates from industrial discharges to the narrow upper estuary, while discharges of untreated domestic wastewater account for the pronounced maximum in the zinc distribution at salinities in the region 20–25%. The influence of release of dissolved zinc by physical disturbance of sediments and mixing of interstitial waters is also recognised. Dispersion of the zinc anomaly appears to be controlled by hydrological, meteorological and tidal conditions. Particulate metal distributions reflect the different partitioning of nickel and zinc in suspended solids, nickel being associated more with refractory components while zinc occurs in association with organic phases.