Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2000
Abstract
In the aquatic environment, the accumulation of chemicalcontaminants by sediments poses a potential threat to endemiclife forms and drinking water resources. Trace metals such asCd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and toxic organic compounds, are among awide variety of contaminants having an affinity for sediments.In this study, experiments were performed simulating sedimentresuspension in the lower Housatonic River, Connecticut, using aParticle Entrainment Simulator. Analyses of grain sizedistributions, porosities and total organic contents of thesediments suggested that these parameters influence theredistribution and entrainment of settleable solids in the watercolumn. These findings were established by evaluating the impactof one parameter on sediment resuspension as a function ofstream flow with the other two characteristics being heldconstant. Total suspended solids and volatile suspended solidsresuspension concentration ranged from 3.2 to 20648.3 mg L^sup -1^,and 1.5 to 1823.8 mg L^sup -1^, respectively, with subsequentincreases in flow rates from 9 to 6 dynes cm^sup -2^. The resuspension concentrations were augmentedby sediment porosity (22.0 to 57.5%), percent finer grain-size distributions at 0.1 mm, and total organic content (2.7 g kg^sup -1^ to 29.0 g kg^sup -1^). Using K^sub p^ values, and the dissolvedcontaminant levels of various trace metals, the particulatecontaminant levels of the metals were determined under variousoscillation rates. As sediment resuspension increased withincreased stream flow, there was an overall general increasefrom 0.02 to 33.6 μg L^sup -1^ in the particulatecontaminant levels of Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni and Pb.
Recommended Citation
Alkhatib, Eid A. and Castor, Keith, "Parameters Influencing Sediments Resuspension and the Link to Sorption of Inorganic Compounds" (2000). Chemistry & Physics Faculty Publications. 4.
https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/chem_fac/4
Comments
The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com
Alkhatib, E. and Keith Castor. "Parameters Influencing Sediments Resuspension and the Link to Sorption of Inorganic Compounds." Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (2000), 65(3), 531-546, DOI: 10.1023/A:1006378815940