Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Remobilization of trace metals from contaminated marine sediment in a simulated dynamic environment

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, release and redistribution of sediment bound trace metals due to resuspension were investigated by a lid-driven elongated annular flume (LEAF). The total suspended particulate matters (SPMs) increased significantly in quantity with the raised resuspension energies and varied distinctively in particle size and mineral composition. Except for Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, and Zn showed an increase in dissolved phase as the resuspension energy increased. Relatively low Cu was observed in dissolved phase whereas it owned the highest original concentration in the sediment. This is primarily due to the very low solubility of Cu sulfide. In comparison to sediment, all metals were evidently enriched in SPMs which primarily contributed to the much more fine particles (silt/clay fraction) contained in the SPMs. Metals enrichment followed the Irving-Williams order of complex stability. However, metals content varied indistinctively in the SPMs among the three selected resuspension levels. The distribution coefficients (K d) exhibited opposite trend with the increasing resuspension level with the exception of Cu. It indicated that physical and chemical characters of sediment such as grain composition, Fe/Mn, and organic matter content may also act as major factors in the release of metals and control their phase distribution in the water column.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdallah MAM, Badr NBE, Saad MAH (2007) Distribution and enrichment evaluation of heavy metals in El-Mex Bay using a grain size normalization model. Fresenius Environ Bull 16:710–719

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson CA, Jolley DF, Simpson SL (2007) Effect of overlying water pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity and sediment disturbances on metal release and sequestration from metal contaminated marine sediments. Chemosphere 69:1428–1437

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bibby RL, Webster-Brown JG (2005) Characterisation of urban catchment suspended particulate matter (Auckland region, New Zealand); a comparison with non-urban SPM. Sci Total Environ 343:177–197

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bokuniewicz H, McTiernan L, Davis W (1991) measurement of sediment resuspension rates in long-island sound. Geo-Mar Lett 11:159–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabrita MT, Raimundo J, Pereira P, Vale C (2014) Immobilised Phaeodactylum tricornutum as biomonitor of trace element availability in the water column during dredging. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21:3572–3581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caetano M, Madureira MJ, Vale C (2003) Metal remobilisation during resuspension of anoxic contaminated sediment: short-term laboratory study. Water Air Soil Pollut 143:23–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calmano W, Hong J, Forstner U (1993) Binding and mobilization of heavy-metals in contaminated sediments affected by Ph and redox potential. Water Sci Technol 28:223–235

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cantwell MG, Burgess RM, Kester DR (2002) Release and phase partitioning of metals from anoxic estuarine sediments during periods of simulated resuspension. Environ Sci Technol 36:5328–5334

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chan WY, Wai OWH, Li YS (2006) Critical shear stress for deposition of cohesive sediments in Mai Po. Proceedings of the Conference of Global Chinese Scholars on Hydrodynamics, 300-305

  • Chen CW, Kao CM, Chen CF, Dong CD (2007) Distribution and accumulation of heavy metals in the sediments of Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan. Chemosphere 66:1431–1440

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ciutat A, Boudou A (2003) Bioturbation effects on cadmium and zinc transfers from a contaminated sediment and on metal bioavailability to benthic bivalves. Environ Toxicol Chem 22:1574–1581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeGregori I, Pinochet H, Arancibia M, Vidal A (1996) Grain size effect on trace metals distribution in sediments from two coastal areas of Chile. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 57:163–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DiToro DM, Mahony JD, Gonzalez AM (1996) Particle oxidation model of synthetic fes and sediment acid-volatile sulfide. Environ Toxicol Chem 15:2156–2167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dong DM, Nelson YM, Lion LW, Shuler ML, Ghiorse WC (2000) Adsorption of Pb and Cd onto metal oxides and organic material in natural surface coatings as determined by selective extractions: new evidence for the importance of Mn and Fe oxides. Water Res 34:427–436

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans RD (1994) Empirical-evidence of the importance of sediment resuspension in lakes. Hydrobiologia 284:5–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fan WH, Wang WX, Chen JS, Li XD, Yen YF (2002) Cu, Ni, and Pb speciation in surface sediments from a contaminated bay of northern China. Mar Pollut Bull 44:820–826

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes PC, Fontes MPF, da Silva AG, Mendonca ED, Netto AR (2001) Selectivity sequence and competitive adsorption of heavy metals by Brazilian soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:1115–1121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu JF, Peng PA, Jia GD, Mai BX, Zhang G (2006) Distribution and sources of organic carbon, nitrogen and their isotopes in sediments of the subtropical Pearl River estuary and adjacent shelf, Southern China. Mar Chem 98:274–285

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang J, Ge X, Yang X, Zheng B, Wang D (2012) Remobilization of heavy metals during the resuspension of Liangshui River sediments using an annular flume. Chin Sci Bull 57:3567–3572

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang K-Y, Kim H-S, Hwang I (2011) Effect of resuspension on the release of heavy metals and water chemistry in anoxic and oxic sediments. Clean:Soil Air Water 39:908–915

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Irving H, Williams RJP (1953) The stability of transition-metal complexes. J Chem Soc. doi:10.1039/jr9530003192

  • Kalnejais LH, Martin WR, Signall RP, Bothner MH (2007) Role of sediment resuspension in the remobilization of particulate-phase metals from coastal sediments. Environ Sci Technol 41:2282–2288

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koshikawa MK, Takamatsu T, Takada J, Zhu MY, Xu BH, Chen ZY, Murakami S, Xu KQ, Watanabe M (2007) Distributions of dissolved and particulate elements in the Yangtze estuary in 1997-2002: background data before the closure of the Three Gorges Dam. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 71:26–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar A, Singhal RK, Rout S, Ravi PM (2013) Spatial geochemical variation of major and trace elements in the marine sediments of Mumbai Harbor Bay. Environ Earth Sci 70:3057–3066

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen B, Jensen A (1989) Evaluation of the sensitivity of sediment stations in pollution monitoring. Mar Pollut Bull 20:556–560

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Zhang C, Wang M, Li Y (2014) Adsorption of multi-heavy metals Zn and Cu onto surficial sediments: modeling and adsorption capacity analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21:399–406

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li XD, Shen ZG, Wai OWH, Li YS (2001) Chemical forms of Pb, Zn and Cu in the sediment profiles of the Pearl River Estuary. Mar Pollut Bull 42:215–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LopezSanchez JF, Rubio R, Samitier C, Rauret G (1996) Trace metal partitioning in marine sediments and sludges deposited off the coast of Barcelona (Spain). Water Res 30:153–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mucci A, Bernier G, Guignard C (2015) Mercury remobilization in Saguenay Fjord (Quebec, Canada) sediments: Insights following a mass-flow event and its capping efficiency. Appl Geochem 54:13–26

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pekey H (2006) The distribution and sources of heavy metals in Izmit Bay surface sediments affected by a polluted stream. Mar Pollut Bull 52:1197–1208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sakellari A, Plavsic M, Karavoltsos S, Dassenakis M, Scoullos M (2011) Assessment of copper, cadmium and zinc remobilization in Mediterranean marine coastal sediments. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 91:1–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saulnier I, Mucci A (2000) Trace metal remobilization following the resuspension of estuarine sediments: Saguenay Fjord, Canada. Appl Geochem 15:191–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaller J, Machill S (2012) Invertebrates control metal/metalloid sequestration and the quality of DOC/DON released during litter decay in slightly acidic environments. Environ Sci Pollut Res 19:3942–3949

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shulkin VM, Bogdanova NN (2003) Mobilization of metals from riverine suspended matter in seawater. Mar Chem 83:157–167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson SL, Pryor ID, Mewburn BR, Batley GE, Jolley D (2002) Considerations for capping metal-contaminated sediments in dynamic estuarine environments. Environ Sci Technol 36:3772–3778

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang CW, Ip CC, Zhang G, Shin PK, Qian P-Y, Li X-D (2008) The spatial and temporal distribution of heavy metals in sediments of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Mar Pollut Bull 57:816–825

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanner PA, Leong LS, Pan SM (2000) Contamination of heavy metals in marine sediment cores from Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Mar Pollut Bull 40:769–779

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turner A, Martino M, le Roux SM (2002) Trace metal distribution coefficients in the Mersey estuary, UK: evidence for salting out of metal complexes. Environ Sci Technol 36:4578–4584

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2009) National recommended water quality criteria: 2009, Report No.EPA-822-R-01-001 65FR31682, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 2009.

  • Wai OWH (2002) Lid-Driven Elongated Annular Flume (LEAF) for the Determination of Sediment Transport Properties. In: Gyr A, Kinzelbach W (eds) Sedimentation and Sediment Transport, Proceedings of the Monte Verit Symposium. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Switzerland, pp 241–244

    Google Scholar 

  • Wai OWH (2003) A Lid-Driven Elongated Annular Flume (LEAF) for the determination of sediment transport properties. Sedimentation and Sediment Transport, Proceedings, 241-244

  • Wang CY, Wang XL (2007) Spatial distribution of dissolved Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu and as in the Bohai sea. J Environ Sci (China) 19:1061–1066

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang DC, Li XD, Wang CX, Wai OWH, Li YS (2003) Heavy metals in the coastal water of Hong Kong. Biogeochem Environ Important Trace Elem 835:404–419

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warren LJ (1979) Distribution of heavy-metals between the minerals and organic debris in a contaminated marine sediment. Abstr Pap Am Chem Soc, 145-145

  • Wu Z, Wang S, He M, Wu F (2015) The measurement of metals by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) at sediment/water interface (SWI) of bay and remobilization assessment. Environ Earth Sci 73:6283–6295

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ye S, Laws EA, Gambrell R (2013) Trace element remobilization following the resuspension of sediments under controlled redox conditions: City Park Lake, Baton Rouge, LA. Appl Geochem 28:91–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang ZX, Hong HS, Zhang LP, Wang XR, Hong LY (1994) The characteristics of geochemistry of Cu, Cd and Pb in surface sediment of Victoria Harbour. J Xiamen Univ (Nat Sci) 33:832–837, In Chinese

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zoumis T, Schmidt A, Grigorova L, Calmano W (2001) Contaminants in sediments: remobilisation and demobilisation. Sci Total Environ 266:195–202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Area of Excellence Scheme under the University Grants Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China (Project No. AoE/P-04/2004), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41272390) and the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong (PolyU 5152/03E, BQ688).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China

    Weihai Xu & Wen Yan

  2. Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Xiangdong Li & Onyx W. H. Wai

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Weilin Huang

Authors
  1. Weihai Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiangdong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Onyx W. H. Wai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Weilin Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wen Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Weihai Xu.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xu, W., Li, X., Wai, O.W.H. et al. Remobilization of trace metals from contaminated marine sediment in a simulated dynamic environment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 19905–19911 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5228-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5228-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation