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Metal fluxes at the sediment–water interface in rivers in the Turvo/Grande drainage basin, São Paulo State, Brazil

  • IASWS 2011: THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SEDIMENTS AND WATER
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The Turvo/Grande drainage basin (TGDB), located in the northwestern region of São Paulo state, covers an area of 15,983 km2. The region is typically regarded as agricultural by the São Paulo State Environmental Agency, but the industrial area is expanding, and some studies have shown that metal concentrations in water can be higher than the values regulated by Brazilian law. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the role of sediments as a source or a sink of metals for drainage basin management.

Materials and methods

Interstitial water from different sediment depths (0–42 cm) and the sediment–water interface and sediment core samples were collected in February and July 2010 from the Preto, Turvo, and Grande rivers. Quantification of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Pb in these samples was performed by graphite furnace or flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Metal diffusive flux estimation from sediment into the overlying water was calculated by Fick’s First Law of Diffusion.

Results and discussion

The fluxes of all metals for the three rivers were positive, indicating diffusion into the overlying water. Ni and Pb showed the lowest diffusive fluxes, which ranged from 2.4 to 3,978 μg m−2 day−1 for Ni and from −0.1 to 1,597 μg m−2 day−1 for Pb. In turn, Cu and Cr were subject to the largest transfer to water, especially in the dry season (Cr, 4.5–7,673 μg m−2 day−1; Cu, 1.3–14,145 μg m−2 day−1). The Preto River (urban area) showed smaller fluxes than the Grande River (agricultural area), and the values of the latter were higher than those found in other impacted areas of the world.

Conclusions

The diffusive fluxes indicate that sediments from the TGDB act as a source of metals for the water column, with increased export of metals, particularly Cr and Ni, from the sediment into the overlying water during the dry season.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank FAPESP (2010/09271-9 and 2009/12147-0). Special thanks to the UNESP Research Pro-Rectory, who funded the English translation of the text. We also thank the valuable tips given by referees and several participants in the 12th IASWS conference in 2011.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química e Ciências Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, R. Cristóvão Colombo 2265, 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil

    Mariele B. Campanha, Altair B. Moreira & Márcia Cristina Bisinoti

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  1. Mariele B. Campanha
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  2. Altair B. Moreira
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  3. Márcia Cristina Bisinoti
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Correspondence to Márcia Cristina Bisinoti.

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Responsible editor: Nives Ogrinc

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Campanha, M.B., Moreira, A.B. & Bisinoti, M.C. Metal fluxes at the sediment–water interface in rivers in the Turvo/Grande drainage basin, São Paulo State, Brazil. J Soils Sediments 12, 1508–1516 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-012-0591-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-012-0591-0

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