Assessment of trace metal contamination of estuarine and marine sediments from Florida

Conference · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6087616

Seal, T L; Calder, F D; Sloane, G M ^[1]; Schropp, S ^[2]; Windom, H L ^[3]

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1. Florida Dept. of Environmental Regulation, Tallahassee, FL (United States)
2. Taylor Engineering, Jacksonville, FL (United States)
3. Skidaway Inst. of Oceanography, Savannah, GA (United States)

Marine scientists have emphasized the ecological health of benthic systems for years, but only recently has the threat of contaminated sediments to natural resources and human health received widespread attention. In the 1980's the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation developed an interpretive statistical tool to distinguish anthropogenic trace metal enrichment from natural chemical variability in estuarine and marine sediments of Florida. Based on normalization of metal concentrations to reference elements (aluminum or lithium), the tool allows comparison of diverse sedimentary environments. Between 1982 and 1992, samples were collected at over 680 stations. Just under 100 stations were designated as clean reference sites well removed from both point or nonpoint sources. Statistical regression and prediction limits were calculated. On a statewide bases, 4% of stations were enriched above predicted levels with As, 27% with Cd, 16% with Cr, 23% with Cu, 36% with Pb, 9% with Ni, 30% with Hg, and 34% with Zn. Significant metal contamination was detected by sediment surveys in Tampa Bay, Pensacola Bay, Biscayne Bay, and the St. Johns River. Presented in a graphical format, this method can be readily used by local, state, and federal regulatory agencies for many purposes, including monitoring, permitting, and remediation. The employment of precise and accurate analytical techniques, and uniform quality assurance procedures, is paramount in sediment monitoring studies. Multiacid (HF-HNO[sub 3]-HClO[sub 4]) digestion techniques (total digestion) were used to estimate natural versus anthropogenic trace metal burdens. The use of reference materials and laboratory intercalibration studies is required for effective comparison and trend analysis of sediment data from future monitoring studies.

• OSTI ID: 6087616
• Report Number(s): CONF-9304188--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM
ARSENIC
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMIUM
COPPER
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ESTUARIES
FLORIDA
LAND POLLUTION
LEAD
LITHIUM
MERCURY
METALS
NICKEL
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SEMIMETALS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SURFACE WATERS
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
ZINC