title: History of metal contamination in Lake Illawarra, NSW, Australia.
abstract: Lake Illawarra has a long history of sediment contamination, particularly by metals, as a result of past and current industrial operations and land uses within the catchment. In this study, we examined the history of metal contamination in sediments using metal analysis and (210)Pb and (137)Cs dating. The distributions of copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, cadmium and lead concentrations within sediment cores were in agreement with historical events in the lake, and indicated that metal contamination had been occurring since the start of industrial activities in Port Kembla in the late 1800 s. Most metal contamination, however, has occurred since the 1960s. Sedimentation rates were found to be 0.2 cm year(-1) in Griffins Bay and 0.3 cm year(-1) in the centre of the lake. Inputs from creeks bringing metals from Port Kembla in the northeast of the lake and a copper slag emplacement from a former copper refinery on the Windang Peninsula were the main sources of metal inputs to Lake Illawarra. The metals of highest concern were zinc and copper, which exceeded the Australian and New Zealand sediment quality guideline values at some sites. Results showed that while historical contamination persists, current management practices have resulted in reduced metal concentrations in surface sediments in the depositional zones in the centre of the lake.
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. Electronic address: Larissa.Schneider@canberra.edu.au.
authors: Larissa
authors: L
authors: Schneider
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Maher
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Office of Environment and Heritage, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia.
authors: Jaimie
authors: J
authors: Potts
authors: CSIRO Land and Water, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia.
authors: Graeme
authors: G
authors: Batley
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Taylor
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Krikowa
authors: CSIRO Land and Water, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia.
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Chariton
authors: Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia.
authors: Atun
authors: A
authors: Zawadzki
authors: Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia.
authors: Henk
authors: H
authors: Heijnis
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Gruber
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry*; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D009517:New South Wales; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Cs; Estuarine lake; Metals; Pb; Port Kembla; Sediment dating