Arsenic speciation in the River Zenne, Belgium

Sci Total Environ. 2007 Oct 1;384(1-3):409-19. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.05.044. Epub 2007 Jul 9.

Abstract

Arsenic species have been assessed in the Zenne River, a sewage contaminated tributary of the Scheldt estuary, in winter 2003. The highest total dissolved As concentrations were found in the middle part of the river with values up to 3.6 microg L(-1). Particulate As concentrations increase towards the mouth of the River with highest levels of 2 microg L(-1). A very good correlation between the % of dissolved As and % of dissolved Fe was observed. They both linearly decrease with the amount of dissolved oxygen. In the middle part of the Zenne River where the oxygen levels were lowest, even below 1 mg L(-1), As(III) was the dominant species. In the other parts (upstream and downstream) of the river, As(V) was dominant. A linear relation between the measured redox values and those calculated via the As(III)/As(V) couple exists, but the range of measured Eh values is much larger than the calculated ones. No methylated dissolved As species were found during our survey.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Arsenic / analysis*
  • Arsenic / chemistry
  • Belgium
  • Iron / analysis
  • Kinetics
  • Oxygen / analysis
  • Particulate Matter / analysis*
  • Particulate Matter / chemistry
  • Rivers / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry

Substances

  • Particulate Matter
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Iron
  • Arsenic
  • Oxygen