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The Behaviour of Dissolved Cd, Cu and Zn in the Scheldt Estuary

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Estuarine Water Quality Management

Part of the book series: Coastal and Estuarine Studies ((COASTAL,volume 36))

Abstract

In 1987, the Scheldt estuary was sampled during winter and spring to study the behaviour of Cd, Cu and Zn. The results show that seasonal mechanisms control the behaviour of trace metals.

During spring the river water entering the estuary is anoxic. The low concentration of dissolved trace metals in the fresh water is caused by precipitation of metal sulphides. After estuarine mixing, oxidation of these compounds leads to apparent desorption of Cd, Cu and Zn. In the lower estuary, phytoplankton blooms cause subsequent removal of dissolved Cd and Zn.

During winter, dissolved Cu and Zn concentrations in the fresh water entering the estuary are high since the river water is not completely anoxic. The existence of a turbidity maximum in the low salinity region causes rapid removal of dissolved Cu and Zn during the very first stages of estuarine mixing. Several mechanisms (oxidation of metal sulphides, desorption induced by chloride complexation, resuspension of reduced bottom sediments) can explain the subsequent increase of dissolved metal concentrations in the lower estuary.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geochemistry, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Utrecht, P. O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    J. J. G. Zwolsman

  2. Tidal Waters Division, Ministry of Transport and Public Works, P. O. Box 8039, 4330 EA, Middelburg, The Netherlands

    G. T. M. van Eck

Authors
  1. J. J. G. Zwolsman
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  2. G. T. M. van Eck
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physics, GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht, P.O. Box 1160, 2054, Geesthacht, Germany

    W. Michaelis

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Zwolsman, J.J.G., van Eck, G.T.M. (1990). The Behaviour of Dissolved Cd, Cu and Zn in the Scheldt Estuary. In: Michaelis, W. (eds) Estuarine Water Quality Management. Coastal and Estuarine Studies, vol 36. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-75413-5_61

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-75413-5_61

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-75415-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-75413-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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