Lourino-Cabana B., Lesven L., Billon G., Denis Lionel, Ouddane B., Boughriet A. (2012). Benthic exchange of sedimentary metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn) in the Deule River (Northern France). Environmental Chemistry, 9 (5), p. 485-494. ISSN 1448-2517.
Titre du document
Benthic exchange of sedimentary metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn) in the Deule River (Northern France)
Environmental Chemistry, 2012,
9 (5), p. 485-494 ISSN 1448-2517
Experiments were performed on the Deule River (Northern France), which is strongly polluted by smelting plants, in the aim to investigate the influence of diagenetic processes and benthic macro-faunal activity on trace metal (Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn) and major metal (Fe, Mn) exchanges occurring at the water-sediment interface. Diffusive metal fluxes were determined from pore water metal concentration gradients measured in sediment cores. Benthic metal fluxes were evaluated using incubation chambers under dark conditions, and by further examining key variables (O-2, CO2, redox potential and pH) affecting metal release and sequestration processes. As a whole, it was demonstrated that benthic fluxes were strongly dependent upon medium oxygenation and generation of colloidal iron oxides and hydroxides at the overlying water-sediment interface, raising the possibility of trace-metal adsorption and (co)precipitation.
