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Title: Partitioning of Pb, Cd, and Cu in natural and disturbed salt marshes of eastern San Francisco Bay

Conference · · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:5431151
;  [1]
  1. California State Univ., Hayward, CA (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences

Sediment from different marsh systems along eastern San Francisco Bay was analyzed to determine how metals are partitioned in different environments influenced by human activity. Human influences in the marshes may have altered the geochemical processes controlling the metal partitioning. The three marsh systems analyzed include a natural marsh (San Francisco Wildlife Refuge), a natural marsh influenced by landfill leachate (Triangle Marsh), and a disturbed marsh constructed of artificial fill (Hayward Landing). The trace metal concentrations were compared in: easily exchangeable, weakly acid soluble, reducible, and oxidizable fractions representing the sediment phases of: clays, carbonates, Mn or Fe oxyhydroxides, and sulfides or organic material, respectively. The sediment fractions were analyzed for Pb, Cd, and Cu. In all three marshes, the pattern of metal partitioning with depth is similar; however, there are some inconsistencies. The Pb, Cd, and Cu in the reducible fraction typically decrease with depth while the metals in the oxidizable fraction generally increase or remain approximately constant with depth. This data suggests that the partitioning of metals in all three environments is initially controlled by sorption of metals onto Mn or Fe oxyhydroxides at the surface and shifts to organic or sulfides as the sediments is buried and the environment becomes more reducing.

OSTI ID:
5431151
Report Number(s):
CONF-9305259-; CODEN: GAAPBC
Journal Information:
Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:5; Conference: 89. annual meeting of the Cordilleran Section and the 46th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Reno, NV (United States), 19-21 May 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English