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The Influence of Sediment Sources and Hydrologic Events on the Nutrient and Metal Content of Fine-Grained Sediments (Attert River Basin, Luxembourg)

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Abstract

Nutrient (C, N and P) and metal (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) content and dynamics of suspended and channel bed sediments were analysed within the rural Attert River basin (Luxembourg). This basin is representative of the main physiographic characteristics of the country, where there is currently little information available on the composition and dynamics of fluvial sediment. Stream bed fine-grained sediment samples (n = 139) collected during low flow conditions and time-integrated suspended sediment samples (n = 183) collected during storm runoff events (October 2005 to April 2008) in seven nested basins ranging from 0.45 to 247 km2 were analysed. Nutrient and metal spatial patterns, temporal trends and the relationship between their content and storm runoff characteristics (e.g. maximum discharge and sediment concentration) were assessed. Results showed a high spatial and temporal variability, mainly associated with basin characteristics and local inputs. Higher values of total C were measured in the highly forested basins located in the northern part of the Attert River basin, whereas the highest values of total P were mainly associated with material coming from grassland and with the inflow of wastewater treatment plants (i.e. higher values of total P were measured in the southern part of the basin). The abundance of metals, not only in suspended but also in channel bed sediments, was generally as follows: Zn > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cu. Both nutrient and metal concentrations were at a maximum at the beginning of the wet season, after having been accumulated during the summer. These values tended to decrease during autumn and winter due to sediment mobilisation, and a higher flow capacity to transport coarser particle fractions from the sources. In general, concentrations of nutrients and metals on suspended sediment were negatively correlated with antecedent precipitation, total precipitation, total specific discharge and maximum discharge, which has been previously associated to a ’dilution’ effect during storm runoff events. Results show that both sediment sources and hydrologic events play an important role on the spatial and temporal variability of sediment-associated nutrient and metal contents.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Research Fund of Luxembourg (BFR05/072). Núria Martínez-Carreras would like to acknowledge the funding from the National Research Fund of Luxembourg to visit the University of Northern British Columbia (Canada). The authors would like to thank the “Administration des Services Techniques de l’Agriculture” in Ettelbruck (Luxembourg), for the C and N analysis, and F. Barnich, J. Ziebel and C. Guignard at the CRP-Gabriel Lippmann for their help with the ICP-MS and P measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Agro-biotechnologies, Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann, 41 rue du Brill, 4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg

    Núria Martínez-Carreras, Andreas Krein, Jean-François Iffly, Christophe Hissler, Laurent Pfister & Lucien Hoffmann

  2. Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Francesc Gallart

  3. Environmental Science Program and Quesnel River Research Centre, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC, V2N 4Z9, Canada

    Philip N. Owens

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  1. Núria Martínez-Carreras
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  2. Andreas Krein
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  3. Francesc Gallart
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Correspondence to Núria Martínez-Carreras.

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Martínez-Carreras, N., Krein, A., Gallart, F. et al. The Influence of Sediment Sources and Hydrologic Events on the Nutrient and Metal Content of Fine-Grained Sediments (Attert River Basin, Luxembourg). Water Air Soil Pollut 223, 5685–5705 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-012-1307-1

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