Enrichment of Heavy Metals in Sediment Resulting from Soil Erosion on Agricultural Fields.

Quinton, John N. and Catt, John A. (2007) Enrichment of Heavy Metals in Sediment Resulting from Soil Erosion on Agricultural Fields. Environmental Science and Technology, 41 (10). pp. 3495-3500. ISSN 0013-936X

Full text not available from this repository.
Official URL: 10.1021/es062147h

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution of soil and water is often associated with industry, but in this paper we demonstrate that water erosion on agricultural soil which has received only agrochemicals has enriched sediment metal concentrations to toxic levels which breach many accepted standards for soils and sediments. Eight 0.1 ha erosion plots with different cultivation treatments were monitored over a 6 year period for surface runoff, soil loss, and Cr, Cu, Pb, and Ni concentrations. Mean concentrations of these heavy metals were up to 3.98 times higher in the sediment than in the parent soil and in some erosion events the sediment had 13.5 times the concentration of metals in the soil. All the sediment heavy metal concentrations were significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with the clay and silt sized fractions of the sediment and with carbon content. The erosion was a highly selective process enriching the detached material in silt, clay, and organic carbon. This was particularly true in smaller erosion events. Sediment metal concentrations tended to follow the shape of runoff hydrographs, although the pattern changed from storm to storm.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Environmental Science and Technology
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/researchoutput/libraryofcongress/ge
Subjects:
?? ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRYCHEMISTRY(ALL)GE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ??
ID Code:
13152
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
09 Sep 2008 09:22
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
28 Mar 2024 00:36