Geology topics
S. N. Luoma
Publications and source records attributed to S. N. Luoma.
Large-scale distribution of metal contamination in the fine-grained sediments of the Clark Fork River, Montana, U.S.A.
Historic discharges from the mining and smelting complex at the head-waters of the Clark Fork River have resulted in elevated Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in the <60 μm fraction of both bed and flood-plain sediments of the river. Processes affecting the trends in longitudinal distributions of these metals were investigated by repeated sampling over a 380 km river reach between August 1986 and July 1989. At the most upstream site, bed-sediment metal concentrations were enriched 18–115 times above least enriched tributaries, depending on the metal. All metals decreased exponentially with distance downstream away from mining. The exponential model predicts that elevated metal concentrations should occur over 550 km downstream, in Lake Pend Oreille. Longitudinal trends, obvious on a scale of hundreds of kilometers, were obscured by small-scale spatial variability when shorter stretches of the river were considered. Longitudinal dispersion appeared to be controlled largely by physical dilution with less-contaminated sediments. Evidence suggests that erosion of contaminated flood-plains contributes to metal contamination in the bed sediments. Tributary input appeared to have little influence on the large-scale, downstream distribution of metals; however, it did contribute to local variability in bed-sediment metal concentrations. Association of metals with specific mineral grains, as well as variability in total organic C and Fe concentration, appeared also to contribute to variability. Some year-to-year variability in bed-sediment metal concentrations was observed, however, trends in longitudinal dispersion were not significantly different between at least two of the years sampled.
Arsenic in benthic bivalves of San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta
Arsenic concentrations were determined in fine-grained, oxidized, surface sediments and in two benthic bivalves, Corbicula sp. and Macoma balthica , within San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta, and selected rivers not influenced by urban or industrial activity. Arsenic concentrations in all samples were characteristic of values reported for uncontaminated estuaries. Small temporal fluctuations and low arsenic concentrations in bivalves and sediments suggest that most inputs of arsenic are likely to be minor and arsenic contamination is not widespread in the Bay.
Temporally intensive study of trace metals in sediments and bivalves from a large river-estuarine system: Suisun Bay/delta in San Francisco Bay
Distributions in time and space of Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were determined in fine-grained sediments and in the filter-feeding bivalve Corbicula sp. of Suisun Bay/delta at the mouth of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers in North San Francisco Bay. Samples were collected from seven stations at near-monthly intervals for 3 years. Aggregated data showed little chronic contamination with Ag, Zn and Pb in the river and estuary. Substantial chronic contamination with Cd, Cu and Cr in Suisun Bay/delta occurred, especially in Corbicula, compared with the lower San Joaquin River. Salinity appeared to have secondary effects, if any, on metal concentrations in sediments and metal bioavailability to bivalves. Space/time distributions of Cr were controlled by releases from a local industry. Analyses of time series suggested substantial inputs of Cu might originate from the Sacramento River during high inflows to the Bay, and Cd contamination had both riverine and local sources. Concentrations of metals in sediments correlated with concentrations in Corbicula only in annually or 3-year aggregated data. Condition index for Corbicula was reduced where metal contamination was most severe. The biological availability of Cu and Cd to benthos was greater in Suisun Bay than in many other estuaries. Thus small inputs into this system could have greater impacts than might occur elsewhere; and organisms were generally more sensitive indicators of enrichment than sediments in this system.
Trace metal associations in the water column of South San Francisco Bay, California
Spatial distributions of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) were followed along a longitudinal gradient of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in South San Francisco Bay (herein referred to as the South Bay). Dissolved Cu, Zn and Cd concentrations ranged from 24 to 66 nM, from 20 to 107 nM and from 1·2 to 4·7 nM, respectively, in samples collected on five dates beginning with the spring phytoplankton bloom and continuing through summer,1985. Dissolved Cu and Zn concentrations varied indirectly with salinity and directly with DOC concentration which ranged from 2·1 to 4·1 mg l −1 . Available thermodynamic data strongly support the hypothesis that Cu speciation may be dominated by association with dissolved organic matter. Analogous control of Zn speciation by organic complexation was, however, not indicated in our computations. Computed free ion activity estimates for Cu, Zn and Cd were of the order of 10 −10 , 10 −8 and 10 −10 M, respectively. The availability of these metals may be among the factors regulating the growth of certain phytoplankton species within this region of the estuary. In contrast to dissolved Cu, dissolved Cd was directly related to the concentration of suspended particulate matter, suggesting a source of dissolved Cd coincident with elevated particle concentrations in the South Bay (e.g. runoff and solute desorption). Consistent with work in other estuaries, partitioning of all three trace metals onto suspended particulates was negatively correlated with salinity and positively correlated with increases in particulate organic carbon associated with the phytoplankton bloom. These results for the South Bay indicate that sorption processes influence dissolved concentrations of these trace metals, the degree of this influence varies among metals, and processes controlling metal distribution in this estuary appear to be more element-specific than spatially- or temporally-specific.
The effect of differential growth on spatial comparisons of copper content of a bivalve indicator
No abstract available.
Accumulation of selenium in benthic bivalves and fine-grained sediments of San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and selected tributaries, 1984-1986
Fine-grained, oxidized, surface sediments and two benthic bivalves (Corbicula sp., a suspension-feeding freshwater clam, and Macoma balthica, a deposit-feeding brackish water clam) were used to examine spatial distributions of selenium within San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta and to compare riverine with local inputs of biologically available selenium to this large, complex, urbanized estuary. Selenium concentrations in Corbicula were elevated in the western Delta and northern reach of San Francisco Bay compared to concentrations in Corbicula from river systems not enriched in selenium. Biologically available selenium did not appear to enter the southern Delta or northern reach of the Bay from the San Joaquin River, a possible source, in levels that could measurably influence bioaccumulation by Corbicula. Selenium concentrations in Macoma balthica also were elevated in southern South San Francisco Bay and near the western edge of Suisun Bay.
Trace metals in Suisun Bay, California: A preliminary report
A 5-month partial study (February to July 1983) was completed in Suisun Bay, a shallow embayment of San Francisco Bay, Calif., to determine characteristic heavy metal concentrations present in sediments and organisms (Corbicula clams) prior to possible discharge of San Luis Drain irrigation tile return water. Preliminary results show sediments are typical of other San Francisco Bay study sites, ranging from coarse sands to fine silt-clays. The sediments are enriched in manganese and low in organic carbon; iron is moderately enriched, with acid-extractable iron concentrations of 162-3,521 micro-g/g. Sediment concentrations of silver, zinc, lead, and cadmium measured between April and July are reported. Previous area studies have shown increased concentrations during autumn and winter, a period not covered in the data set. Due to insufficient data, interpretations are incomplete. Clam-tissue burdens for silver and zinc are similar to those found in Corbicula from pristine areas. Lead concentrations are typically below the 2-micrograms/g detection level. Corbicula do show indications of more tissue enrichment for cadmium and copper at estuarine stations than at riverine stations.
The impact of waste-water discharge on biological communities in San Francisco Bay
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Some perspectives on heavy metal concentrations in shellfish and sediment in San Francisco Bay, California
No abstract available.
Physiological characteristics of mercury uptake by two estuarine species
Rapid uptake and slow loss of Hg will result from short exposures of some organisms to this metal, due to the transformation of Hg to a slowly exchanging form within the organisms. The extent of the difference between exposure time and depuration time will depend upon the rate of transformation during uptake. For the polychaete worm Neanthes succinea and the shrimp Palaemon debilis such transformations are extremely rapid. The exchange of Hg from the slowly exchanging compartment is similar among a wide variety of species. Thus, interspecies differences in susceptibility to Hg may be determined by differences in biochemical transformation rates and physiological permeability to the metal. ?? 1977 Springer-Verlag.