Toxic Trace Element Assessment for Soils/Sediments Deposited During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from Southern Louisiana, USA

Alternative Title

A sequential extraction analysis

Abstract

Analysis of soil/sediment samples collected in the southern Louisiana, USA, region three weeks after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed was performed using sequential extraction procedures to determine the origin, mode of occurrence, biological availability ,mobilization, and transport of trace elements in the environment. Five fractions: exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to iron (Fe)-manganese (M n) oxides, bound to organic matter, and residual, were subsequently extracted. The toxic trace elements P b, As, V, Cr, Cu, and C d were analyzed in each fraction, together with Fe in 51 soil/sediment samples. Results indicated that P b and As were at relatively high concentrations in many of the soil/sediment samples. Because the forms in which P b and As are present tend to be highly mobile under naturally occurring environmental conditions, these two compounds pose an increased health concern. Vanadium and Cr were mostly associated with the crystal line non mobile residual fraction. A large portion of the Cu was associated with organic matter and residual fraction. Cadmium concentrations were low in all soil/sediment samples analyzed and most of this element tended to be associated with the mobile fractions. An average of 21% of the Fe was found in the Fe-M n oxide fraction, indicating that a substantial part of the Fe was in an oxidized form. The significance of the overall finding of the present study indicated that the high concentrations and high availabilities of the potentially toxic trace elements As and P b may impact the environment and human health in southern Louisiana and, in particular, the New Orleans area. © 2010 SETAC.

Department(s)

Chemistry

Second Department

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0730-7268

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2010 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Press (SETAC), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2010

Link to Full Text

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