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Runoff‐induced metals in Lakes Bay, New Jersey
Author(s) -
Parrish Camille S.,
Uchrin Christopher G.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620090504
Subject(s) - environmental science , stormwater , surface runoff , bay , estuary , cadmium , hydrology (agriculture) , sediment , sedimentation , urban runoff , first flush , storm , salinity , environmental chemistry , oceanography , geology , ecology , chemistry , paleontology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , biology
Lakes Bay, an estuarine embayment located near Atlantic City, New Jersey, currently supports commercial shellfishing; however, the surrounding basin is a prime location for development. Synpotic surveys were conducted during the summer of 1986 to determine background conditions and the response to stormwater runoff inputs of three metals; copper, lead and cadmium. Background (dry weather) conditions of all three metals were found to be not significantly different than those reported for world natural waters. Significant amounts of lead and copper were found to be input to the system through a major storm water sewer that discharges to a lagoon. Sediment analysis showed that considerable sedimentation occurs in this lagoon, thus localizing the effect of this input to the system. A local stormwater retention basin was not found to be a significant source of metals. Cadmium levels were not found to be significantly different between dry and wet weather conditions. The high salinity of the system required extensive sample extraction procedures prior to analysis by atomic absorption spectrophotometry to minimize matrix interferences.