Concentrations of stable elements and uranium in estuarine areas of Japan

The geochemistry of stable elements can be a good analogue for understanding the behavior of radionuclides in estuarine and coastal environments. In this study, the behavior of nutrients (NO3 + NO2, PO4, Si(OH)4), heavy metals, and U was observed in several estuarine and coastal waters of Japan. We also collected data on salinity, pH, and suspended particle matter (SPM). Nutrient concentrations followed conservative dilution lines in these estuaries, and concentrations of dissolved Fe decreased as salinity increased from 0 to 20. In general, most of the dissolved Fe in estuaries is in colloidal form. The behavior of dissolved Fe might reflect a loss of colloidal Fe through coagulation in this salinity range. Dissolved Co and Ni concentrations followed approximate dilution lines from the rivers to the seawater end-members, suggesting that they were quasi-conservative in these estuarine systems. A rapid increase in dissolved Cd concentrations was observed at low levels of salinity (<4). Estimated fluxes of dissolved Cd to the estuarine and coastal waters showed that the salt-induced desorption of Cd from particles constitutes a significant source of dissolved Cd in the estuarine and coastal waters. (author)