Submarine groundwater discharge: A significant source of dissolved trace metals to the North Western Mediterranean Sea

International audienceBioactive trace metals play a significant role as micronutrients in the ocean and therefore it is important to evaluate their sources. Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) has been recognized as an input of trace metals to the coastal sea. Here, we investigated the significance of SGD as a source of dissolved trace metals (dTM) to the coastal sea in a regional area such as the North Western (NW) Mediterranean Sea. We analysed dTM concentrations in SGD end-members and incorporate data on SGD dTM concentrations and water flows reported in previous studies carried out in this area, to estimate the following ranges of SGD-driven dTM fluxes (in 10(6) mol y(-1)): Cd: 0.0007-0.03, Co: 0.004-0.11, Cu: 0.09-1.9, Fe: 1.8-29, Ni: 0.09-1.9, Pb: 0.002-0.06, Zn: 038-12. These fluxes were compared to dTM fluxes from riverine discharge and atmospheric deposition, demonstrating that SGD is a major source of dTM to the NW Mediterranean Sea. Whilst riverine inputs are limited to the surrounding of river mouths and atmospheric fluxes are distributed throughout the whole basin mainly during sporadic depositional events, SGD represents a permanent, albeit seasonally variable, source of metals to most of the coastal areas. SGD-driven dTM inputs may be even more significant, in relative terms, in other coastal regions of the Mediterranean Sea where rivers are scarce, as it is the case of the African coast and many islands. This study highlights the relevance of SGD as a source of dTM to the Mediterranean Sea and the need of its consideration in the calculation of metal budgets in the basin and in the investigation of biogeochemical cycles in coastal areas. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Mercury and methylmercury in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean

[eng] Oceans constitute one of the most important reservoirs for mercury. In order to provide a first insight into the concentrations of Hg species in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean a sampling campaign was carried out south of the Polar Front. Water samples taken at discrete depths from the surface down to 300 m at six stations were analysed for total Hg (HgT), methylmercury (MeHg) and other interpretative parameters such as salinity, temperature, dissolved and particulate organic carbon, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll and inorganic nutrients. Results showed a high spatial variability in the concentrations of HgT and MeHg. HgT (0.93±0.69 ng L−1) and MeHg (0.26±0.12 ng L−1) levels were similar or higher than those reported in previous works in high latitude studies. The highest values were found at a location (−53°, 10°E) south of the South Polar Front, an area of strong gradients caused by the mixing of different water masses. Vertical profiles showed a great variability even for those stations sampled at the same location or an area dominated by the same oceanographic features. A decrease of HgT and a consequent increase in MeHg with depth was observed in some sites, suggesting the occurrence of Hg-methylation process, while at other stations, a concurrent decrease or increase of both mercury species was observed. In spite of these differences, an overall positive correlation between HgT and MeHg was observed. Differences between vertical profiles of Hg species were attributed to favourable environmental conditions for Hg methylation. The highest proportion of MeHg (% of HgT) was observed in sites with low dissolved oxygen or highest estimated remineralization rates. The results obtained in this study show that the Hg distribution and speciation in the Atlantic sector of the SO is comparable (or in some sites higher) to the ones published for the other open ocean regions. However, the concentrations of MeHg in this area are more dependent on the environmental conditions than on the total concentration of Hg present in the water

Effect of tidal flooding on metal distribution in pore waters of marsh sediments and its transport to water column (Tagus estuary, Portugal)

10 páginas, 4 figuras, 4 tablasSediment cores and flooding water were collected at 0, 5, 10 and 50 min of tidal inundation in two sites of the Rosário salt marsh located in the proximity of a heavy industrialised zone of Tagus estuary colonised by pure stands of Spartina maritima (low marsh) and Sarcocornia fruticosa (high marsh). The cores were sliced in 5 cm layers and sediment solids, pore water, and belowground biomass were separated in order to measure Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd. The pore waters and sediments colonised by S. fruticosa, as well as belowground biomass presented high concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd. Belowground biomass exceeded in one order of magnitude the metal levels in sediments. Abundant belowground biomass and small dimension of S. fruticosa roots facilitates the root–sediment interactions and presumably the metal retention in the higher marsh. The novelty of this work is the result of tidal inundation on pore water concentrations of metals in salt marsh sediments and their exportation to the water column. Concentrations in pore waters varied at minute scales, but 50 min after inundation levels were comparable to the initial values. The metal levels in flooding water increased abruptly during the first 10–20 min of inundation. The concentration peaks (Fe = 60 μM, Mn = 7.5 μM, Zn = 1.7 μM, Cu = 550 nM, Pb = 100 nM, Cd = 1.7 nM) reached one to two orders of magnitude above the values found in subsequent periods of inundation. The advective transports during the 50 min inundation during two daily pulses of inundation were: Fe (9520 and 1640), Mn (24), Zn (220 and 82), Cu (74 and 16), Pb (13 and 15) and Cd (0.3 and 0.08) for S. maritima and S. fruticosa, respectively. These quantities exceeded three to four orders of magnitude of the corresponding predicted diffusive fluxes (Fick 1st law) on a daily basis. This work emphasizes the importance of tidal flooding over salt marsh sediments to the metal exportation to the water column.This article is a contribution to the SpanishePortuguese Actions of references 2007PT0021 and FCT/CSIC9/CSIC/08. Dr. Santos-Echeandía would like to thank the Basque Government for the financial support (post-doctoral grant).Peer reviewe