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Interpretation of metal profiles in a sediment core from lake geneva: metal mobility or pollution

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Abstract

The transition elements Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Cu and Cr together with Pb and P were determined in three sequential extractions of sediment and in the pore water of a 35-cm sediment core from Lake Geneva. A high percentage of the mobile Mn, Fe, P, Co, Pb and Zn was extracted in the first (inorganic) fraction, whereas the mobile Cu and Cr were mostly found in the second (organic and sulfide) fraction. Mn was subject to recycling with solubilization from the surface sediment to the oxic bottom water where it was precipitated. Highly enriched Co and P values were observed in the top few mm of the sediment resulting from post depositional solubilization with upward migration and precipitation with oxi-hydroxides at the sediment surface. The slower increase of Cu, Zn and Pb concentrations towards the sediment/water interface are the result of an increase of anthropogenic sources over the past decades. A further increase in Pb in the first cm of the core is believed to be related to the freshly precipitated Mn oxi-hydroxides.

Zusammenfassung

An einem Sedimentkern des Genfersees wurde eine geochemische Studie durchgeführt. Der 35 cm lange Kern stammt aus dem Einflussgebiet der stark sedimentbeladenen Rhone und wurde während der Stagnationsphase des Sees genommen (Fig. 1). Die Sedimentationsrate beträgt 4,5 mm J−1 (0,15 g cm−2 J−1). Einige Übergangsmetalle, Pb und P wurden in drei sich folgenden Extraktionen, nämlich einer inorganischen, einer organischen und sulfiden sowie einer residualen Fraktion, und im Porenwasser bestimmt. Mn, Fe und Cu wurden zusätzlich noch in über der Kernposition liegenden Sedimentfallen analysiert.

Ein hoher Prozentsatz des mobilen Mn (Fig. 5), Fe (Fig. 7), P, und Co (Fig. 6), Pb und Zn (Fig. 9) wurde in der inorganischen Fraktion extrahiert, während man das mobile Cu und Cr vor allem in der organischen und sulfiden Fraktion wiederfindet. Eine hohe Mn-Mobilität wird während der vorliegenden Stagnationszeit aufgezeigt. Die Mn-Oxyhydroxide werden an der Sediment-Wasser-Grenze gelöst, gelangen ins Bodenwasser des Sees wo sie ausfallen und in einem Kreislauf wieder zurück ins Sediment gelangen. Fe weist eine geringere Mobilität auf. Die Anreicherung von Co und P in den obersten Millimetern scheint eine Folge einer Auflösung im Sediment zu sein, gefolgt von einer Migration und einer Fixierung auf Oxyhydroxiden; für Co möglicherweise in der Grenzschicht und für P in der Grenzschicht und im Bodenwasser. Der Anstieg von Cu, Zn und Pb gegen oben ist das Resultat des zunehmenden anthropogenen Einflusses der letzten Dekaden. Für die zusätzliche Pb-Anreicherung im obersten cm schlagen wir als Ursache die hohe Affinität von Pb zu den frisch ausgefällten Mn-Oxyhydroxiden vor.

Résumé

Une étude géochimique d'une carotte de sédiments du Léman a été effectuée. La carotte mesurant 35 cm de long a été prélevé dans la zone soumise à l'influence de l'embouchure du Rhône et de sa forte charge sédimentaire, pendant la période de stagnation du lac (fig. 1). Le taux de sédimentation est d'environ 4,5 mm par an (0,15 g cm−2 an−1). Quelques métaux de transition ainsi que Pb et P ont été dosés dans trois extraits séquentiels, à savoir les fractions «inorganique», «organique et sulfures» et «résiduelle», ainsi que dans l'eau interstitielle. Conjointement, Mn, Fe et Cu ont été dosés dans des sédiments de trappes récoltés sur le même site.

La fraction inorganique permet de solubiliser un pourcentage élevé des formes mobiles de Mn (fig. 5), de Fe (fig. 7), de P et de Co (fig. 6), de Pb et de Zn (fig. 9) alors que les formes mobiles de Cu et de Cr se retrouvent surtout dans la fraction organique et sulfure. Mn présente une mobilité élevée pendant la période de stagnation (période d'échantillonnage): les oxy-hydroxydes de Mn sont très activement dissous à l'interface eau sédiments et cet élément migre dans l'eau du fond ou il précipite et resédimente, complétant le cycle. Fe présente une mobilité moindre. L'enrichissement en Co et en P dans les mm supérieurs de la carotte semble résulter de la dissolution après la sédimentation, migration et enfin co-fixation avec les oxy-hydroxydes. Pour Co ce mécanisme se limite peut être à l'interface, mais pour P il touche également l'eau du fond. L'enrichissement en Cu, Zn et Pb vers l'interface résulte de l'augmentation des apports anthropogéniques durant les dernières décades; il semble que les teneurs élevées en Pb du premier cm doivent également être mises en relation avec l'affinité de cet élément pour les oxy-hydroxydes de Mn.

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Author notes

  1. F. Giovanoli & P. -Y. Favarger

    Present address: Institute F.-A. Forel, 10 route de Suisse, CH-1290, Versoix, Switzerland

  2. Z. J. Wang

    Present address: Institute of Environmental Chemistry, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 934, Beijing, China

  3. H. El Ghobary

    Present address: Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique, Faculté des Sciences, Avenue de l'Université, F-64000, Pau, France

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  1. Institute F.-A. Forel, 10 route de Suisse, CH-1290, Versoix, Switzerland

    Z. J. Wang & H. El Ghobary

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Wang, Z.J., El Ghobary, H., Giovanoli, F. et al. Interpretation of metal profiles in a sediment core from lake geneva: metal mobility or pollution. Schweiz. Z. Hydrol 48, 1–17 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02544112

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