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Modelling Pb and Cd dynamics in the Seine estuary

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Abstract

The Seine estuary (France) is currently one of the world’s most contaminated estuaries, due in particular to its high cadmium and lead content. Proper understanding of contaminant transfer, transformation and retention mechanisms throughout the estuary and up to the adjacent marine zone require a range of studies involving data collections, experiments, and modeling tool. A multivariable transport model (SiAM-3D) was used to simulate dissolved and particulate transport and it is applied to several calculation grids; a speciation model (MOCO) was used to select key species and obtain a schematic system representation. The coupled model for Cd and Pb was compared with field measurements. The complementary character of various tools (model applied to annual time scale, in situ measurements and experiments) allowed to explore and quantify various hypotheses on the high dissolved cadmium concentrations observed during low river flow. The target is to achieve a compromise between acceptable computing times and adequate result accuracy. Although particle and contaminant behaviour is globally well-reproduced by the coarse grid, calculation errors relating to bayward fluxes and stocks deposited inside the estuary were highlighted after comparison with the fine grid.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially carried out in the framework of the Seine Aval program, financed by the French Government, the Haute Normandie region, the other regions of the Paris Basin, the Seine Normandie Water Agency (AESN) and the industrial firms of Haute Normandie. The authors would like to thanks the captains and crews of N/O Thalia and Maïmiti, the Seine Navigation Service antipollution unit for supplying most of the samples used for the experiments and providing the estuary database, the Rouen Port Authority for providing hydrographic and bathymetric data and B. Simon (SHOM: Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine) for providing tidal harmonic components in the Baie de Seine. Thanks also to L. Valentine for translation and S. Even for her helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IFREMER BE/CM Centre de Toulon, Zone Portuaire de Brégaillon, BP 330, 83507, La Seyne-sur-Mer Cedex, France

    B. Thouvenin & J. L. Gonzalez

  2. IFREMER BE/CM Centre de Nantes, Nantes Cedex, France

    J. F. Chiffoleau & B. Boutier

  3. IFREMER DYNECO/PHYSED Centre de Brest, Plouzane, France

    P. Le Hir

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  1. B. Thouvenin
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  2. J. L. Gonzalez
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  3. J. F. Chiffoleau
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  4. B. Boutier
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  5. P. Le Hir
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Correspondence to B. Thouvenin.

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Thouvenin, B., Gonzalez, J.L., Chiffoleau, J.F. et al. Modelling Pb and Cd dynamics in the Seine estuary. Hydrobiologia 588, 109–124 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-0656-z

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