| Abstract: | The reactivity of the Rhône estuarine suspended matter is investigated through three operational parameters: the heat of immersion in water (HI), the ammonium saturation index (ASI) and the specific surface area (SSA). The two former parameters are highly correlated for samples collected both in surface river water and in its plume water and in a deeper nepheloid layer. Using both ASI and HI theoretical contributions of each main individual suspended matter component, it is shown that actual and calculated HI values are in agreement, whereas measured ASI values are significantly lower than those calculated. Surface normalization of these reactive properties is discussed on the basis of the SSA measured by the (BET) N2 adsorption. This evaluation, on freeze-dried suspended matter, appears to underestimate the actual particulate reactive surface area in the natural environment; indeed, it is shown that the ammonium ion surfacial density obtained from ASI and SSA data is unrealistically high.To verify that HI and ASI may be considered as criteria for the surface potential reactivity of particles, it has been attempted to relate these parameters and the extent of sorption of radioactive tracer, which is either discharged in the Rhone river or introduced in a batch experiment. Relationships between both ASI and HI and the content of 54Mn, 60Co, 65Zn, 109Cd and 137Cs, which are established for some of them, suggest that HI and ASI are useful indicators of particulate affinity for certain metals. |
