Metal enrichment processes in the marine environment

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6851713

Metz, S

This study discusses metal enrichment in oceanic sediments resulting from remobilization, scavenging, pollution and hydrothermal inputs in the Mississippi River-Gulf of Mexico and Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 26/sup 0/N. Suspended particles collected from the Mississippi River during mean water and suspended-sediment discharge have metal concentrations which vary by <5% for Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn and approx.10% for Mn. The massive sediment load carried by the Mississippi River is rapidly deposited on the Mississippi Delta in the Gulf of Mexico. Aluminum and Fe concentrations in Mississippi Delta sediments are similar to those of average Mississippi River suspended matter throughout the delta. In contrast, the Cu/Al ratio in surficial sediments (0-1 cm) decreases from 4.1 x 10/sup -4/ for average suspended matter to 2.7 x 10/sup -4/ about 45 km from the mouth of Southwest Pass. Copper lost from delta sediments can be traced to the deep Gulf of Mexico where concentrations average 50-70 ..mu..g g/sup -1/ compared with 33 ..mu..g g/sup -1/ for Mississippi River suspended matter. The observed increase in offshore sediments in linked to scavenging of Cu by particles. A similar scenario can be presented for Mn.

• Research Organization: Florida Inst. of Tech., Melbourne (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6851713
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
ALUMINIUM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
CADMIUM
COPPER
GULF OF MEXICO
WATER POLLUTION
IRON
LEAD
MANGANESE
MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
CONTAMINATION
SEDIMENTS
ZINC
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
ELEMENTS
METALS
POLLUTION
RIVERS
SEAS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport- (-1989)
580400 - Geochemistry- (-1989)