Metallic Elements in Sediments

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2019) | Viewed by 13030

Special Issue Editors

Earth Sciences Department, Orsay Sciences Faculty, Paris Saclay University, 91405 Orsay, France
Interests: environmental mineralogy; minerals chemistry; environmental issues and natural resources
GéoHydrosystèmes Continentaux, Université de Tours, EA 6293 GéHCO, Parc Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France
Interests: dynamics of trace elements during the solid transport in rivers; spatio-temporal variations; transfers to waters and solid speciation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue addresses all research that deals with metallic elements in sediments. Fluvial systems are among the most sensitive compartments of the surface environment, namely the “critical zone”, regarding contamination. Contaminations can take various forms and inorganic contamination can be of natural origin or may directly reflect human activities. In this latest case, contaminants, either metal or metalloids, are mainly linked to past or present agricultural, industrial or mining-associated activities. They may affect the solid fraction, as well as interstitial and surface waters. When sediment quality is questioned, numerous outlines emerged such as the sustainable management of the impacted river, the use of water resources, potential transfer to living organisms, etc., and how to understand these outlines. Thus, environmental studies must deal with the complexity of numerous processes at various interfaces. Some ways to better understand contaminations lie in the use of a wide range of tools at various scales. Among them, the determination of the speciation, mineralogy, toxicity of the contaminants helps to better estimate the degree of impact and sometimes the way to better constrain it.

Prof. Dr. Alexandra Courtin-Nomade
Prof. Dr. Cécile Grosbois
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • metals and metalloids
  • sediments
  • fluvial systems
  • quality
  • metals-bearing phases stability
  • solid speciation
  • contamination evaluation
  • anthropogenic impacts

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2954 KiB  
Article
Geochemical Footprint of Megacities on River Sediments: A Case Study of the Fourth Most Populous Area in India, Chennai
by Sukkampatti Palanisamy Saravanan, Marc Desmet, Ambujam Neelakanta Pillai Kanniperumal, Saravanan Ramasamy, Nikita Shumskikh and Cécile Grosbois
Minerals 2019, 9(11), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9110688 - 07 Nov 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3683
Abstract
An intensive surface sediment survey was carried out over 24 locations from the upstream to downstream sections of two large rivers (Adyar and Cooum) in Chennai (India) during the February dry season of 2015. Trace element concentrations were assessed on a <63 µm [...] Read more.
An intensive surface sediment survey was carried out over 24 locations from the upstream to downstream sections of two large rivers (Adyar and Cooum) in Chennai (India) during the February dry season of 2015. Trace element concentrations were assessed on a <63 µm fraction using the Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo) and the newly proposed Geochemical Urban Footprint Index (GUFI), which can be performed to determine the pollution status of any megacity river influenced by urban development. The sediment quality of Chennai’s rivers was also compared to worldwide megacity pollution using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), and a new megacity pollution ranking was determined. The Igeo results indicate that the Chennai rivers studied are strongly to extremely polluted regarding trace element content of sediment. Silver (Ag), Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) are the most significant tracers of urban contamination. Chromium (Cr) concentrations show an industrial contamination gradient in relation to levels of other trace elements (As, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) at the Chennai megacity scale. The GUFI ranges from moderate to extreme contamination, particularly in the downstream stretches of the two rivers. This spatial trend is related to various point sources and identified at specific sampling stations, with a lack of identifiable buffer zones. According to the worldwide comparison of megacity pollution, Chennai is ranked in fifth position. The present position can be attributed to a number of explanations: a population explosion associated with the unplanned growth of the city and non-controlled point sources of pollution in Chennai’s waterways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallic Elements in Sediments)
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18 pages, 2108 KiB  
Article
Distribution, Enrichment and Transport of Trace Metals in Sediments from the Dagu River Estuary in the Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China
by Jinqing Liu, Ping Yin, Xiaoying Chen and Ke Cao
Minerals 2019, 9(9), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9090545 - 10 Sep 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2790
Abstract
26 river bank sediments and 15 estuary seafloor sediments were sampled from the Dagu River and the estuary of Northwestern Jiaozhou Bay to determine contaminations of heavy metals and metalloids (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, Hg and As). The trace metal contents in [...] Read more.
26 river bank sediments and 15 estuary seafloor sediments were sampled from the Dagu River and the estuary of Northwestern Jiaozhou Bay to determine contaminations of heavy metals and metalloids (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, Hg and As). The trace metal contents in sediment from the estuary area were much higher than those of the river. Correlation analysis showed that except for Pb, the metals were mainly controlled by the grain size, and enriched by adsorption of aluminosilicate minerals, Fe/Mn oxides and organic matter in river and estuary sediments. In addition to Cu in some stations, the metals met the requirements of the marine organism and humans for the quality of the marine environment. The concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cr, Hg and As were between the threshold effect level (TEL) and probable effect level (PEL), indicating those metals might have occasional adverse effects. Results of Enrichment Factor values revealed that the entire study area was enriched in Pb and Hg, at moderate environmental risk, but the estuary was more significant. Pb and Hg contaminations in this area were mainly from coal combustion and automobile emissions. River runoff and atmospheric deposition dominated the metals distribution and enrichment in the study area. Contaminants in sediments entering the estuary were further transported to the south and east under the river runoff and reciprocating current in the Jiaozhou Bay. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallic Elements in Sediments)
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14 pages, 2341 KiB  
Article
Distribution, Source Identification, and Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in the Sediment Core from the Estuarine Region of the Golmud River to the Qarhan Salt Lake, Qinghai, China
by Jiangyun Xiang, Jianping Wang, Liang Chen, Zhiyong Ling, Jinjun Han, Qingkuan Li and Qiugui Wang
Minerals 2019, 9(9), 506; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9090506 - 22 Aug 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2485
Abstract
The Qarhan Salt Lake has attracted increasing attention due to its significant national economic status and increased human activity, especially mining. Therefore, a sediment core collected from the confluence of the Golmud River to the Qarhan Salt Lake was chosen to investigate the [...] Read more.
The Qarhan Salt Lake has attracted increasing attention due to its significant national economic status and increased human activity, especially mining. Therefore, a sediment core collected from the confluence of the Golmud River to the Qarhan Salt Lake was chosen to investigate the concentrations, pollution levels, and ecological assessment of nine targeted elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, P, Pb, and Zn). The excess 210Pb activities were calculated and a sedimentation rate of approximately 0.041 cm/y was estimated. Elements sources were identified, and the results show that Al, As, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were mainly from natural sources, Cd and P were mainly from human input, and Cr appeared to have both sources. For Cd and P there was an increasing trend from 1987 and 1975, respectively, coinciding with the Chinese economic reform, Qarhan Salt Lake development and utilization, and also with the gross domestic product of Haixi State, Qinghai Province. Though the pollution and ecological assessment showed that there was nil to very low contamination and ecological risk, which is different from previous assumptions, the obviously increasing trend of Cd and P in the surface is still a concern. More attention should be paid to Cd and P in the further development of the Qarhan Salt Lake and the Golmud City. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallic Elements in Sediments)
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19 pages, 2393 KiB  
Article
Distribution and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediment from Bohai Bay, China
by Baolin Liu, Wensi Zhang and Guangxi Chi
Minerals 2019, 9(2), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9020111 - 14 Feb 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3639
Abstract
Sediment core and porewater samples from the Western coastal tidal flat in Bohai Bay, China, were collected for meals and physical-chemical properties analysis. The vertical distribution characteristics of eight metals along the core was investigated based on 137Cs and 210Pb radionuclide [...] Read more.
Sediment core and porewater samples from the Western coastal tidal flat in Bohai Bay, China, were collected for meals and physical-chemical properties analysis. The vertical distribution characteristics of eight metals along the core was investigated based on 137Cs and 210Pb radionuclide dating. The chemical fractions of six metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Mn and Cd) were also measured based on the modified European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction procedures to better understand the mobility and bioavailability of these metals in the sediment. In addition, geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and risk assessment code (RAC) are used to assess risk status of these metals in the environment. 210Pb measurement indicates a sedimentation rate of about −1.87 cm∙year−1. The metals Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni show similar vertical distributions throughout the core, while Mn and Cd show different distribution patterns. Ni, Cu, Pb and Zn are strongly associated with the residual fraction while Mn and Cd are dominant in the acid-soluble fraction. According to the estimated diffusive fluxes, the Zn ions were the most mobilized, followed by Cu, Ni, Pb, and to a lesser extent Cd. The result of Igeo shows that Ni in sediments does not reflect any pollution, and Cu, Pb and Zn are in a level from unpolluted to modest polluted throughout the core. Mn and Cd have obvious anthropogenic sources. Based on the RAC, Cd and Mn pose a high to very high risk to the local environment, respectively, due to the significant percentage of exchangeable fraction. Clay content is significantly positively correlated with Ni, Cu, Al and Fe, and Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni might originate from the same sources or be influenced by similar geochemical processes. River runoff and atmospheric deposition are important sources for heavy metals, and since 1998, domestic sewage discharge might have had an important influence on the source of heavy metals (except for Cd and Mn). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallic Elements in Sediments)
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