Downstream changes of total and partitioned metal concentrations in the flood deposits of the river Geul (The Netherlands) |
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| Authors: | H Leenaers |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Geography, State University of Utrecht, PO Box 80. 115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | The floodplain soils in the Guel basin have unacceptably high levels of pollution,v brought about by metal mining and related industrial activities in the past. Spoil heaps still exist along the Geul river and these are susceptible to erosion and leaching processes. An additional source of metals is formed by erosion of older, locally highly contaminated streambank deposits. These older sediments are polluted as a result of solid waste disposal containing metalliferous ore and tailings in the sand fraction. At present, these sediments function as a major source of heavy metals during high flow stages when streambanks are undermined and suspended sediments are deposited on the floodplains. The flood deposits have a relatively coarse texture, i.e. 70% dry weight in the fraction > 63 um.In order to obtain an indication about the potential mobility of the heavy metals in these deposits, 16 samples (8 samples < 63 um and 8 samples > 63 um) out of a set of 122 were subjected to a sequential extraction scheme as proposed by Calmano & Förstner (1983). It was found that up to 80% of the metals may be present in the first three leaching stages (exchangeable cations, carbonate fraction and easily reducible fraction) and that hardly any difference exists between the chemical partitioning of metals in the size fractions < 63 um and > 63 um. Moreover, as the total metal concentrations exponentially decrease along the 40 km distance away from the source area, the percentage of metals in these 3 potentially mobile fractions steadily increases. It is concluded that despite the rapid decay of total metal concentrations, Large amounts of potentially mobile metals are probably stored in the floodplain sediments even at a large distance from the source area. |
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