Particulates and the environmental capacity for trace metals: a small river as a model for a land-sea transfer system: the Rasa river estuary

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 1994-01, Vol.155 (1), p.173-185
• Main Authors: Sondi, I, Juracic, M, Prohic, E, Pravdic, V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0048-9697

The dominant physical and physico-chemical processes regulating material transport and pollutant transformation kinetics in a small river system were investigated by field and laboratory studies of the Rasa river karstic estuary where coal mining, power generation, tourism and mariculture were the major land-use activities. Analysis of water and sediments sampled from 12 stations demonstrated that heavy metals were bound predominantly to rapidly sedimenting fine grained clay mineral particles in an upper part of the estuary. The naturally occurring trace metals were chromium, titanium and cadmium whereas the origin of copper, lead and zinc was anthropogenic. Concentrations of lead and copper increased through the depths profile of a sediment core taken near the river mouth but zinc was more mobile and was not accumulated in estuarine sediments. The ultimate environmental capacity of the estuary and adjacent coastal region for anthropogenic trace metals had not yet reached a critical level. There are 41 references.