Geochemical aspects of atmospherically transported trace metals over the Georgia Bight

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5976933· OSTI ID:5976933

Mullins, B. M.

There has been considerable evidence in recent years that a significant portion of the trace metals reaching coastal waters are transported by the atmosphere. The present study had the following three purposes: to assess trace metal concentrations and enrichment factors in the nearshore atmosphere over the Georgia Bight between Charleston, South Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida; to determine the sources of the metals; and to evaluate the solubilities of some of the metals in seawater. Atmospheric trace metal concentrations and enrichment factors generally decrease from Charleston to Jacksonville. Five metals (Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Pb), were found to be anomalously enriched over the Georgia Bight. Observations from this study suggest that seawater may influence Cu and Zn concentrations in Georgia Bight air. Solubilities of Zn and Cu in seawater are source dependent, as seen by correlation with EF/sub crust/. No significant solubility of Ni in seawater was observed. Yearly fluxes of eight trace metals from atmosphere to seawater in the Georgia Bight were estimated. These trace metal fluxes are comparable to fluxes in other areas along the east coast. The fluxes of Cu, Cd, and Zn make considerable contributions to dissolved metal levels in Georgia Bight water. An attempt to use trace metal concentrations in Spanish mosses as a means of tracing sources of trace metals over the Georgia bight was inconclusive.

• Research Organization: Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-S-09-0890
• OSTI ID: 5976933
• Report Number(s): SRO-0890-T2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM
CADMIUM
COASTAL WATERS
COPPER
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DATA FORMS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
IRON
LEAD
METALS
MONITORING
MOSSES
NICKEL
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SEAWATER
SODIUM
SOLUBILITY
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTHEAST REGION
SURFACE WATERS
TABLES
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WIND
ZINC