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Watershed land use as a determinant of metal concentrations in freshwater systems

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Abstract

Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and pH were synthesized from 30 publications to determine the factors regulating concentrations and behavior of metals in freshwater systems. Results from the review suggest that contrasting watershed land use can directly (erosion and runoff) and indirectly (in-lake processes including metal–DOM–pH interactions) affect the metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Among the watershed land uses considered here, concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Cu were observed in the following order: arctic lakes < forested < agricultural < urbanized < mined. A drastic difference in mean metal concentrations has been observed when undisturbed or low impact watersheds (arctic and forested) were changed by agricultural, urban, and mining developments. Relationships between metal concentrations and pH revealed that metals precipitate at high pH (pH > 5). Additionally, at pH < 5, metal concentrations were significantly correlated with DOM due to metal–DOM complexation. High ratios of metal: DOM occur only at low DOM concentrations. Collectively, two general conclusions can be drawn from this review. First, lakes, rivers, and streams with urbanized watersheds are the most susceptible to increased concentrations of metals. Secondly, these results also suggest that regardless of high or low DOM in the water column, pH would affect metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Nonetheless, free metal ions would be higher in freshwater systems with acidic water and low DOM.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Fred Wrona, University of Victoria, for comments, editorial correction, and statistical analysis. This research has been supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Graduate Scholarship Doctoral to B.D.

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  1. Biplob Das

    Present address: Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, 3211 Albert Street, Regina, SK, S4S 5W6, Canada

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  1. Water and Aquatic Sciences Research Program, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Station CSC, PO Box 3020, Victoria, BC, V8W 3N5, Canada

    Biplob Das, Rick Nordin & Asit Mazumder

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Das, B., Nordin, R. & Mazumder, A. Watershed land use as a determinant of metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Environ Geochem Health 31, 595–607 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-008-9244-z

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