New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Selected trace elements in Stockton, New Zealand, waters
E. Alarcón León
Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Group
Faculty of Agriculture
The University of Western Australia
Nedlands
WA 6907, Australia
R. G. Anstiss*
Trace Element Research Group
Department of Applied Science
Auckland University of Technology
Private Bag 92 006
Auckland 1020, New Zealand
email: richard.anstiss@aut.ac.nz
*
Author for correspondence.
Abstract
Ni, Mn, As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Se, Al, Zn, Fe, SO42–
, hardness (calc.) in addition to pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), and total suspended solids (TSS) were measured at 18 (11 surface and 7 subsurface) sampling sites (which were each assigned a semi-quantitative Mudstone Index (MI)) from 20 days over 9 months in the waters which drain the Stockton coal mine area on the Stockton Plateau, New Zealand. Trace element, TDS and TSS concentrations were found to be elevated and pH depressed consistent with acid mine drainage (AMD) and were characterised by significant variability due to environmental processes. Frequent concentration spikes in surface and subsurface waters occurred which sometimes exceeded maximum acceptable values (MAV) and/or aesthetic guideline values (GV) including a number of toxic trace elements. Mean concentrations of Ni and Mn in both surface and subsurface waters and As and Cd in subsurface waters exceeded MAVs. Mean concentrations of Mn, Al, Fe, SO42–
, and pH in both surface and subsurface waters exceeded GVs. There tends to be higher trace element and TDS concentrations where there are more mudstones (higher MI) with lower pHs. It is recommended that any further studies focus on geographic distribution, concentration fluctuation factors, movement, and possible exposure issues.
Keywords
trace elements; metals; maximum acceptable values; aesthetic guideline values; toxic; Stockton; acid mine drainage
M01047 Received 8 June 2001; accepted 2 October 2001
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2002, Vol. 36
: 81–87
0028–8330/02/3601–0081 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002
PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality
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