Transport and distribution of trace elements and other selected inorganic constituents by suspended particulates in the Salton Sea Basin, California, 2001 |
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Authors: | Lawrence A LeBlanc Roy A Schroeder |
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Institution: | (1) University of Maine, 5741 Libby Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5741, USA;(2) U.S. Geological Survey, 304 North Sierra Avenue, Solana Beach, CA 92075, USA |
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Abstract: | In order to examine the transport of contaminants associated with river-derived suspended particles in the Salton Sea, California,
large volume water samples were collected in transects established along the three major rivers emptying into the Salton Sea
in fall 2001. Rivers in this area carry significant aqueous and particulate contaminant loads derived from irrigation water
associated with the extensive agricultural activity, as well as wastewater from small and large municipalities. A variety
of inorganic constituents, including trace metals, nutrients, and organic carbon were analyzed on suspended material isolated
from water samples collected at upriver, near-shore, and off-shore sites established on the Alamo, New, and Whitewater rivers.
Concentration patterns showed expected trends, with river-borne metals becoming diluted by organic-rich algal particles of
lacustrine origin in off-shore stations. More soluble metals, such as cadmium, copper, and zinc showed a more even distribution
between sites in the rivers and off-shore in the lake basin. General distributional trends of trace elements between particulate
and aqueous forms were discerned by combining metal concentration data for particulates from this study with historical aqueous
metals data. Highly insoluble trace metals, such as iron and aluminum, occurred almost entirely in the particulate phase,
while major cations and approximately 95% of selenium were transported in the soluble phase. Evidence for greater reducing
conditions in the New compared to the Alamo River was provided by the greater proportion of reduced (soluble) manganese in
the New River. Evidence of bioconcentration of selenium and arsenic within the lake by algae was provided by calculating “enrichment”
concentration ratios from metal concentrations on the algal-derived particulate samples and the off-shore sites.
Guest editor: S. H. Hurlbert
The Salton Sea Centennial Symposium. Proceedings of a Symposium Celebrating a Century of Symbiosis Among Agriculture, Wildlife
and People, 1905–2005, held in San Diego, California, USA, March 2005
Roy A. Schroeder—Retired. |
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Keywords: | Trace metals Transport Suspended sediments Salton Sea |
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