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Distribution and Removal of Silver and Lead in the Nearshore Waters of Western Taiwan

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Abstract

Concentrations of Al, Mn, Fe, Ag, and Pb in dissolved and particulate phases of the surface water were determined at 15 stations along the coastline off western Taiwan in April of 2007. This study presents the first set of data for Al, Ag, and Pb in the nearshore waters. Latitudinal distribution of these metals showed that high values were present in the regions affected by high fluvial discharge from the Dan-Sui River and the Cho-Sui River. Using the particle fluxes from 210Po/210Pb disequilibria, the removal fluxes and the residence times of the trace metals were calculated. Based on the K d values, the sequence of particle affinity of trace metals, Fe ~ Al >> Pb > Mn > Ag, was found. The correlation of the residence times and of the partitioning coefficients of multiple metals in the nearshore waters implies that the affinities to the particles determine the geochemical cycling of metals in the coastal water.

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Acknowledgements

The assistance provided by the captain and crew of R/V Ocean Researcher II is appreciated. We thank Dr. K.-T. Jiann for providing particulate Pb and Ag data determined during November 2004. We appreciate the assistance of Brendan Trombly with English. This research was supported through grants NSC99-2611-M-002-004 (C.-L. Wei) and NSC99-2611-M-002-004 (L.-S. Wen) from the National Science Council of Taiwan.

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  1. Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, PO Box 23-13, Taipei, 106, Taiwan

    Cheng-Shiuan Lee, Ching-Ling Wei, Liang-Saw Wen & Wen-Huei Lee

  2. Institute of Marine Geology and Chemistry, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    David D.-D. Sheu

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  1. Cheng-Shiuan Lee
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  2. Ching-Ling Wei
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Correspondence to Ching-Ling Wei.

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Lee, CS., Wei, CL., Wen, LS. et al. Distribution and Removal of Silver and Lead in the Nearshore Waters of Western Taiwan. Estuaries and Coasts 36, 854–865 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-013-9588-1

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