Abstract
Previous studies found elevated metal concentrations in Manadas Creek. In this study, samples were collected from six sites along the creek during the wet period of 2008 and analyzed for dissolved and total metal isotopes in water and total metal isotopes in sediments. Results were compared with those obtained in a dry period. It was found that 75As concentration in water was typically the lowest following a major rain event. A similar trend was observed for antimony (Sb) at the two sites, close to a decommissioned Sb smelter. Mann-Whitney test indicates significant differences in the medians of 75As concentrations observed in the sediment between the dry and the wet seasons at most sites and for 121Sb at two sites sampled. The enrichment factors (EFs) calculated for As in sediment were low (close to 1); however, they were up to 1,530.9 and 1,519.1 for 121Sb and 123Sb, respectively. Cluster analysis grouped 75As with 208Pb, 118Sn, 66Zn, and 137Ba, or with 55Mn, or with 60Ni depending on the sites sampled; however, both Sb isotopes were not grouped with any other metals. Pearson correlation only indicated significant and strong correlation between 75As and sediment properties. Significant correlation between 75As and other metals was only found at one site. Most of the correlations between 121Sb/123Sb and other metals were poor. These results contribute to the understanding of the seasonal variations of Sb and As contamination in a semi-arid creek.
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Acknowledgements
This article was based upon work supported by the Center of Research Excellence in Science and Technology–Research on Environmental Sustainability of Semi-Arid Coastal Areas (CREST–RESSACA) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) through a Cooperative Agreement (HRD-0734850) from the National Science Foundation (NSF). It was also supported by a TAMUK Graduate Assistantship and Scholarship from The National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT) of Mexico to M. Baeza. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the National Council on Science and Technology of Mexico. We would like to thank Andrew G. Smith for reviewing the manuscript before submission.
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Baeza, M., Ren, J., Krishnamurthy, S., Vaughan, T.C. (2014). Antimony and Arsenic Isotope Distribution in a Semi-Arid Creek During the Wet Season. In: Ramirez, D., Ren, J., Jones, K., Lamm, H. (eds) Environmental Sustainability Issues in the South Texas–Mexico Border Region. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7122-2_8
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