『Abstract
The total iron (TFe) concentrations in five rivers to a Galician
Ria (averages 10.-4.5 μM) was within the pristine range, but in
rainwater it was higher (14μM). TFe values of small sewage treatment
plants (STP) ranged between 3 and 4μM, whereas in the largest
was 11μM. Particulate iron in rivers was five times more abundant
than dissolved iron, except in the Lagares where it was 20 times
higher, but in the STDs the dissolved/particulate coefficients
varied from 0.1 to 1.1 and in the rainwater it was lower than
0.4. Equations of water flow versus iron flux were obtained to
quantify the iron contribution from the freshwater sources to
the Vigo Ria. It receives annually 490 tons of iron (6% in dissolved
form) and 90% of this comes from industries focused on metal processes.
The contaminated Lagares River accounts for the main input of
TFe (327 t a-1), followed by rainwater (78 t a-1),
the Oitaven(eの頭に´) River (28 t a-1)
and Vigo STP (33 t a-1). Anthropogenic activities have
increased the amount of iron flowing into the Ria by roughly ten
times and this could upset the biogeochemical cycle in similar
coastal systems.
Keywords: Dissolved; Freshwater; Iron; NW Spain; Particulate』
Introduction
Study site
Materials and methods
Results
Iron concentration in waters
Freshwater iron fluxes
Discussion
Natural sources of iron in the freshwater flowing into the
Ria
Low anthropogenic enriched sources of iron in the freshwater
flowing into the Ria
High anthropogenic enriched sources of iron in the freshwater
flowing into the Ria
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References