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Behavior of major and minor elements in a temperate river estuary to the coastal sea

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Abstract

Water samples were collected for 23 different stations along a cross section profile of an estuary extending over to adjacent sea. The collected water samples were filtered and analyzed for major–minor ions and strontium isotope using the standard procedure to understand the geochemical behaviors of major and minor elements. The normalized values indicated that all riverine elements were entering to adjacent coastal sea with some significant variations at the estuary. The seawater dilution and regression lines explain about the overall patterns for seven elements. Removal processes were detected on calcium, magnesium, strontium and sulfate in the estuarine region. No significant mineral precipitation observed to release magnesium with respect to calcium. Minor variations of strontium and sulfate ions could be attributed to the presence of organic matter in the study area. Comparing seven elements with total suspended matters revealed that the total suspended matters played crucial role in either adsorption or absorption of all the elements in estuary before it reaches to coastal sea. Mixing patterns of strontium isotope showed minimal non-conservative with an evidence of active geochemical process in the estuary.

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Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by the framework project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 90610037) and by the International Partnership Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The authors also particularly thanks to Dr. Yuansheng Li, Institute of Polar Research, CAS, Shanghai for providing the oceanographic instruments during sampling and also for offshore lab facility. Also thanks to Dr S. J. Kao for constructive comments for improving this manuscript. Many thanks to Dr. Pan Wu, Dr. Houyi Zheng, Dr. Xueyan Liu for helping during sample collections.

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  1. S. Patra

    Present address: Ministry of Earth Sciences, ICMAM Project Directorate, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002, People’s Republic of China

    S. Patra, C. Q. Liu, F. S. Wang, S. L. Li & B. L. Wang

  2. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, People’s Republic of China

    S. Patra

  3. Applied Radiation Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 201800, People’s Republic of China

    F. S. Wang

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  1. S. Patra
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  2. C. Q. Liu
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Correspondence to C. Q. Liu.

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Patra, S., Liu, C.Q., Wang, F.S. et al. Behavior of major and minor elements in a temperate river estuary to the coastal sea. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 9, 647–654 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-012-0097-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-012-0097-8

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