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Effects of rainy season on mobilization of contaminants from tsunami deposits left in a coastal zone of Thailand by the 26 December 2004 tsunami

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Study on contamination of tsunami sediments deposited on 26 December 2004 conducted shortly after the tsunami in coastal zone of Thailand revealed elevated contents of salts in water-soluble and some heavy metals and arsenic in bioavailable fractions (Szczuciński et al. in Env Geol 49:321–331, 2005). Few months later rainy season started and effected in total rainfall of over 3,300 mm. This paper presents results of survey repeated 1 year after the tsunami. To assess the effects of rainy season on mobilization of previously determined potential contaminants, the same locations were sampled again and analysed with the same methods. The tsunami deposit layer was well preserved but in many locations the sediments were coarser than just after tsunami due to washing out of finer fractions. The water-soluble salts contents were strongly reduced after the rainy season. However, the concentrations of acid leachable heavy metals and metalloids were still elevated in comparison to reference sample from an area not impacted by tsunami. It is possible that the metals and metalloids are successively moved to more bioavailable fraction from forms which were more resistant to mobilization.

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Acknowledgments

The field and laboratory work was supported by Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. Poland. We appreciate logistical support provided by Department of Mineral Resources of Kingdom of Thailand and Embassy of Poland in Thailand. We would like to thank Niran Chaimanee, Darunee Saisuttichai, Thawatchai Tepsuwan for field assistance. Hanna Elbanowska and Radosław Jagodziński are acknowledged for help in laboratory work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Maków Polnych 16, 61-686, Poznań, Poland

    Witold Szczuciński & Stanisław Lorenc

  2. Department of Water and Soil Analysis, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Drzymały 24, 60-613, Poznań, Poland

    Przemysław Niedzielski, Lidia Kozak, Marcin Frankowski & Anetta Zioła

Authors
  1. Witold Szczuciński
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  2. Przemysław Niedzielski
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  3. Lidia Kozak
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  4. Marcin Frankowski
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  5. Anetta Zioła
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  6. Stanisław Lorenc
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Correspondence to Witold Szczuciński.

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Szczuciński, W., Niedzielski, P., Kozak, L. et al. Effects of rainy season on mobilization of contaminants from tsunami deposits left in a coastal zone of Thailand by the 26 December 2004 tsunami. Environ Geol 53, 253–264 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0639-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0639-4

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