Abstract
Surface waters, sediments and interstitial waters were collected from 9 sites of the River Stour, UK, during June 1987. The aim was to identify the sources of EC List I (Hg, Cd) and List II (As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) metals and metalloids to this lowland river system and to assess the magnitude of metal enrichment. The study reach spanned some 60 km, traversing rural and urban landscapes. Results indicate that the larger municipal sewage treatment works (STW), which receive industrial effluents, were the major source of metals, but smaller rural works also exerted some contaminative influences. Metal concentrations in bottom sediments, displayed 2–11 fold increases over catchment background levels with maximum loadings coinciding with discharges from the Great Cornard and Sudbury STWs. Elevations in water column metal concentrations were also apparent downstream of point source inputs, but concentrations were consistently below designated ‘Water Quality Standards’. Distance from the point source, sediment texture and hydrology appeared to be the main factors responsible for the observed distribution of metals within this river system.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Public Health Association: 1985, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 16th Edition, 1268 pp.
Batley, G. T., and Gardiner D.: 1977, Sampling and storage of natural water for trace metal analysis. Water Res., 11, 745–756.
Bentine K. K., and Goldberg E. D.: 1977, History of heavy metal pollution in southern California coastal zone — Report. Environ. Sci. Technol., 11, 297–299.
Bodo B. A.: 1989, Heavy metals in water and suspended particulates from an urban basin impacting Lake Ontario. Sci. Tot. Environ., 87/88, 329–344.
Brannon J. M., Engler R. M., Rose J. R., Hunt P. G., and Smith I.: 1976, Distribution of toxic metals in marine and freshwater sediments. In: Dredging and its Environmental Effects. American Society of Civil Engineers, pp. 455–495.
British Gas Analytical Methods: 1984, British Gas, London. UK.
Bubb J. M., Rudd T., and Lester J. N.: 1991a. Distribution of heavy metals in the River Yare and its associated Broads. I. Mercury and methylmercury. Sci. Tot. Environ., 102, 147–168.
Bubb J. M., Rudd T., and Lester J. N.: 1991b, Distribution of heavy metals in the River Yare and its associated Broads. II. Copper and cadmium. Sci. Tot. Environ., 102, 169–188.
Committee for Analytical Quality Control: 1984, The accuracy of determination of total mercury in river water. TR 219, Water Research Centre, Medmenham, UK.
Council of European Communities: 1976, Council Directive on Pollution Caused by Certain Dangerous Substances Discharged into the Aquatic Environment of the Community. Off. J. Eur. Comm., L129, (76/464/EEC).
Council of European Communities: 1982, Council Directive on Limit Values and Quality Objectives for Mercury Discharges by the Chloro-alkali electrolysis Industry. Off. J. Eur. Comm., L81, (82/176/EEC).
Council of the European Communities: 1983, Council Directive on limit values and quality objectives for cadmium discharges. Off. J. Eur. Comm., L291, (83/513/EEC).
Council of European Communities: 1984, Council Directive on Limit Values and Quality Objectives for Mercury Discharges by Sectors other than the Chloro-alkali Industry. Off. J. Eur. Comm., L74, (84/156/EEC).
Dackombe R. V. and Gardiner V.: 1983, Geomorphological Field Manual. Allen & Unwin, London, 254 pp.
Department of the Environment: 1985, Water and the Environment. Joint circular DOE and Welsh office. 37/85, published Sept. 1985, DOE, London, UK.
Faust S. D., and Aly O. M.: 1981, Chemistry of Natural Waters. Ann. Arbor Science Publishers, USA, 400 pp.
Filipek L. H., Chao T. T., and Carpenter R. H.: 1982, Factors affecting the partitioning of Cu, Zn, Pb in boulder coatings and stream sediments in the vicinity of a polymetallic sulphide deposit. Chem. Geol. 35, 45–52.
Förstner U., and Wittmann G. T. W.: 1979, Metal Pollution in the Aquatic Environment. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 486 pp.
Gardiner J.: 1974, The chemistry of cadmium in natural water. II. The adsorption of cadmium on river muds and naturally occurring solids. Water Res., 8, 157–164.
Geesy G. G., Borstad L., Chapman P. M.: 1984, Influence of flow-related events on concentration and phase distribution of metals in the lower Fraser River and a small tributary stream in British Columbia, Canada. Water Res., 18, 233–238.
Golterman H. L., Sly P. G., and Thomas R. L.: 1983, Study of the relationship between water quality and sediment transport. UNESCO. France.
Degroot, A. J., and Allersma E.: 1975, Field observations on the transport of heavy metals in sediments. Prog. Wat. Technol., 7, 85–95.
Horowitz A. J.: 1985, A primer on trace metal-sediment chemistry. U.S. Geol. Survey Water Supply Paper 2277.
Horowitz A. J., Rinella F. A., Lamothe P., Miller T. L., Edwards T. K., Roche R. L., and Ricket D. A.: 1990, Variations in suspended sediment and associated trace elements concentrations in selected riverine cross sections. Environ. Sct. Technol., 24, 1313–1320.
Jackson M.: 1979, Soil Chemical Analysis. Advanced cource, 2nd Edition, Madison, Wisconsin. Published by the author, 498 pp.
Jonasson J. R.: 1977, Geochemistry of sediment/water interactions of metals, including observations on availability. In: The Fluvial Transport of Sediment Associated Nutrients and Contaminants, JJC/PLUARG, Shear, H. and Watson, A. E. P. (eds.), Windsor, Ontario, pp. 225.
Kempton S., Sterritt, R. M., and Lester J.N.: 1982, Atomic-absorption spectrophotometric determination of antimony, arsenic, bismuth, tellurium, thallium and vanadium in sewage sludge. Talanta, 29, 675–681.
Kennedy V., Zellwager G., and Jones B.: 1974, Filter pore size effects on the analysis of Al, Fe, Mn and Ti in water. Water Res., 10, 785–790.
Krishnamurty K. V., Shpirt E., and Reddy M. M.: 1976, Trace metal extraction of soil and sediments by nitric acid-hydrogen peroxide. Atomic Absorption Newsletter, 15, 68–70.
Lara R. J., Gomez E. A., and Pucci A. E.: 1985, Organic matter, sediment particle size and nutrient distributions in a sewage affected shallow channel. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 169, 360–364.
Liston, P., and Mahar, W.: 1986, Trace metal export in urban runoff and its biological significance. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 366, 900–905.
De Mora S. J., and Harrison R. M.: 1983, The use of physical speciation techniques in trace metal speciation studies. Water Res., 17, 723–733.
Perkin Elmer Corporation: 1986, Analytical methods for atomic absorption spectrophotometry using MHS-mercury hydride system. Perkin Elmer. Norwalk.
Personal communications from the National Authority: Dr. P. Bird, NRA Head Office, Bristol, UK. Pickering W. F.: 1980, Cadmium retention by clays and other soil or sediment components. In: Cadmium in the Environment. J. O. Nriagu (ed.), John Wiley and Sons, pp. 364–397.
Salomons W., and Förstner U.: 1984, Metals in the Hydrocycle. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 349 pp.
Standing Committee of Analysts: 1977, Methods for the Determination of Waters: Determination of the pH value of sludge, soil, mud and sediment; and lime requirement of soil. HMSO, London, UK.
Standing Committee of Analysts: 1979a, Methods for the Determination of Waters: Dissolved oxygen in natural and waste waters. Two methods. HMSO, London, UK.
Standing Committee of Analysts: 1979b, Methods for the Determination of Waters: Sulphate in waters, effluents and solids. HMSO, London, UK.
Standing Committee of Analysts: 1980, Methods for the Determination of Waters: Suspended, settleable and total dissolved solids in waters and effluents. HMSO, London, UK.
Standing Committee of Analysts: 1981, Methods for the Determination of Waters: Chloride in waters, sewage and effluents. HMSO, London, UK.
Standing Committee of Analysts: 1983, Methods for the Determination of Waters: Sulphide in waters and effluents. Tentative method. HMSO, London, UK.
Sterritt R. M. and Lester J.N.: 1980. Atomic absorption spectrophotometric analysis of the metal content of waste water samples. Environ. Technol. Lett., 1, 402–417.
Suess M. J.: 1982, Examination of Water for Pollution Control. A reference manual. Vol. 1: Sampling, data analysis and laboratory equipment. Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK, 531 pp.
Warren L. J.: 1981, Contamination of sediments by lead, zinc and cadmium. A Review. Environ. Pollut., Series B, 2, 401–436.
Wilson A.L.: 1976, Concentrations of trace metals in river waters. A Review. TR 16, Water Research Centre, Medmenham, UK.
United States Geological Survey: 1979, Methods for determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial sediments. Techniques of water resource investigations. Book 5, Washington. D.C. US Govt. Printing office.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bubb, J.M., Lester, J.N. Anthropogenic heavy metal inputs to lowland river systems, a case study. The River Stour, U.K.. Water Air Soil Pollut 78, 279–296 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00483037
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00483037