title: Catchment condition as a major control on the quality of receiving basin sediments (Sydney Harbour, Australia).
abstract: The current work aimed to compile existing information to better understand the source, fate and effects of metallic contaminants in one catchment-receiving basin system (Iron Cove) in Sydney Harbour (Australia). Copper, Pb and Zn concentrations of potential source materials, i.e. soils (mean 62, 410 and 340 microg g(-1), respectively) and road dust (mean 160, 490 and 520 microg g(-1), respectively) and in materials being transported to the estuary, i.e. in gully pots (mean 110, 200 and 260 microg g(-1) for Cu, Pb, and Zn, respectively), in bedload (mean 210, 880 and 1700 microg g(-1), respectively) and particulates in canals draining the catchment (mean 325, 290 and 1865 microg g(-1), respectively) were highly enriched. Estuarine sediments in the receiving basin are enriched 20 times over pre-anthropogenic concentrations and are toxic to benthic animals at the canal mouths. Stormwater remediation is required to reduce metal loads to the adjacent estuary.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Geology Group, School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. gavin@geosci.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCready
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D009517:New South Wales; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014881:Water Supply; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc