title: Use of a three-dimensional model to predict heavy metal (copper) fluxes in the Oujiang estuary.
abstract: Measuring pollutant concentrations in major tributaries is the standard method for establishing pollutant fluxes to the sea. However, this method is costly and difficult, and may be subject to a great deal of uncertainty due to the presence of unknown sources. This uncertainty presents challenges to managers and scientists in reducing contaminant discharges to water bodies. As one less costly method, a three-dimensional model was developed and used to predict pollutant fluxes to the sea. The sorptive contaminant model was incorporated into hydrodynamic and sediment models. Adsorption-desorption of copper by sediments in the Oujiang estuary were described using Henry's law. The model was validated using measured data for water surface elevations, flow velocity/direction, suspended sediment concentrations, and the proportion of copper sorbed to sediment. The validated model was then applied to predict fluxes of copper. Combined with the measured data, the copper concentration in the Oujiang River discharge was calculated as 13.0 μg/L and copper fluxes were calculated as 52 t in 2010. This copper flux prediction was verified using measured dissolved copper concentrations. Comparisons between the modeled and measured results showed good agreement at most stations, demonstrating that copper flux prediction in the Oujiang estuary was reasonably accurate.
authors.affiliation: Second Institute of Oceanography, SOA, No. 36 Baochubei Road, Hangzhou 310012, China E-mail: lss003629@sina.com.
authors.forename: Shasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Disaster and Defense, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, No. 1 Xikang Road, Nanjing 210098, China.
authors.forename: Ruijie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Second Institute of Oceanography, SOA, No. 36 Baochubei Road, Hangzhou 310012, China E-mail: lss003629@sina.com.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: National Marine Environment Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Road, Dalian 116023, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D014872:Water Movements
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D003300:Copper