Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution and temporal variation of cadmium in the St. Lawrence river basin

  • Published:
Aquatic Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Samples of raw water were collected at regular intevals at two transects in the St. Lawremce River and four of its tributaries from March to November 1991 and from April to June 1992. Water samples were analyzed for both the dissolved and the particulate phase for cadmium (Cd), organic carbon, iron and manganese. Mean dissolved Cd concentration was 10±5 ng/L and no spatial variability was observed. Higher concentrations were found during high flow periods, suggesting an uptake of cadmium by phytoplankton during summer. In addition, dissolved cadmium did not appear to be associated with either DOC, dissolved Fe or dissolved Mn. The mean particulate Cd concentration was 1.3±1.1 μg/g, with almost all stations presenting the same concentration except the Yamaska River, which had a concentration of 0.5±0.2 μg/g. Particulate Cd showed a negative correlation with suspended particulate matter and a positive correlation with particulate organic carbon and particulare manganese. Fifty-nine percent of the cadmium was found to be in the particulate phase. Partition coefficients for cadmium (Kd), organic carbon (Kc), iron (KdFe) and manganese (KdMn) were calculated for each sample. Log Kd varied from 3.9 to 5.9, with an average of 5.0±0.4. Log Kd decreased with increasing particulate, matter as did Log Kc and Log KdMn. No significant correlation was found between Log Kd and Log Kc, suggesting that the distribution of cadmium between the dissolved and the particulate phase is not influenced by the distribution of organic carbon. In contrast, positive correlations were observed between Log Kd, Log KdFe and Log KdMn. Cadmium distribution appears to be influenced by Fe and Mn distribution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benoit, G., S.D. Otkay-Marshall, A. Cantu, E.M. Hood, C.H. Colemen, M.O. Corapcioglu and P.H. Santschi, 1994. Partitioning of Cu, Pb, Ag, Zn, Fe, Al and Mn between filter-retained particles, colloids, and solution in six Texas estuaries. Mar. Chem. 45:307–336.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruland, K.W., R.P. Franks, G.A. Knauer and J.H. Martin, 1979. Sampling and analytical methods for the determination of copper, cadmium, zinc, and nickel at the nanogram per liter level in sea water. Anal. Chim. Acta 105:233–245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruland, K.W., 1980. Oceanographic distributions of cadmium, zinc, nickel, and copper in the north Pacific. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 47:176–198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruland, K.W. and R.P. Franks, 1983. Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd in the Western North Atlantic. In: Trace Metals. In Seawater Edited by C.S. Wong et al., Plenum, New York, pp. 395–414.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruland, K.W., 1992. Complexation of cadmium by natural organic ligands in the central North Pacific. Limnol. Oceanogr. 37:1008–1017.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carignan, R., S. Lorrain and K.R. Lum, 1994. A 50-vr record pollution, by nutrients, trace metals, and organic chemicals in the St. Lawrence River. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 51:1088–1100.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cluis, D., G. Bourgeault, C. Laberge, C. Guimont and D. Potvin, 1990. Analyse statistique des données de qualité de l'eau du fleuve Saint-Laurent (1978–1988). INRS-Eau, Rapport Scientifique No. 289.

  • Coquery, M., D. Cossa and M.M. Martin, 1995. The distribution of dissolved and particulate mercury in three siberian estuaries and adjacent arctic coastal waters. Wat. Air Soil Pollut. 80:653–664.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cossa, D., 1987. Le cadmium et le mercure en milieu cotier: biogéochimie et utilisation, du genreMytilus comme indicateur quantitatif. Thèse de doctorat d'état, Université Pierre et Marie Curie.

  • Cossa, D. 1990. Chemical contaminants in the St. Lawrence estuary and the Saguenay fjord. In: Coastal and estuarine studies. Vol. 39, Edited by M.I. El-Sabah and N. Silverberg. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 239–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cossa, D., M. Meybeck, Z. Idlafkih and B. Bombled, 1994. Etude pilote des apports en contaminants par la Seine. Rapport final, Ifremer, 151 pp.

  • De Boer, D.H., C. Lemieux and K.R. Lum, 1991. Evaluating contaminant transport using Lagrangian sampling in the St. Lawrence River, Canada. In: Proceedings of the Vienna Symposium on Hydrology for the Water Management on Large River Basins Edited by F. Van der Ven et al. IAHS Publ. no. 201, pp. 281–290.

  • Eisenreich, J.J. and W.M.J. Strachan, 1992. Estimating atmospheric deposition of toxic substances to the Great Lakes—An update. Canadian Centre for Inland Waters, Environment Canada.

  • Elbaz-Poulichet, F., J.M. Martin, W.W. Huang and J.X. Zhu, 1987. Dissolved Cd behaviour in some selected french and chinese estuaries. Consequences on Cd supply to the ocean. Mar. Chem. 22:125–136.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frew, R.D., and K.A. Hunter, 1995. Cadmium-phosphorus cycling at the subtropical convergence south of New Zealand. Mar. Chem. 51:223–237.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Germain, A. and M. Janson, 1984. Qualité des eaux du flueve Saint-Laurent de Cornwall à Québec (1977–1981). Centre Saint-Laurent, Environnement Canada, 232 pp.

  • Honeyman, B.D. and P.H. Santschi, 1989. A brownian-pumping model for oceanic trace metal scavenging: evidence from Th isotopes. J. Mar. Res. 47:951–992.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, A.J., 1991. Sediment-trace element chemistry. Lewis publishers Inc., Chelsea, 136 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huynh-Ngoc, L., N.W. Whitehead and B. Oregioni, 1988. Cadmium in the Rhône River. Wat. Res. 22:571–576.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J.G., S.B. Roberts and F.M.M. Morel, 1995. Cadmium: a nutrient for the marine diatom. Limnol. Oceanogr. 40:1056–1063.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lum, K.R., E.A. Kokotich and W.H. Schroeder, 1987. Bioavailable Cd, Pb and Zn in wet and dry deposition. Sci. Total Environ. 63:161–173.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lum, K.R., K.L.E. Kaiser and C. Jaskot, 1991. Distribution and fluxes of metals of the St. Lawrence River from the outflow of Lake Ontario to Québec City. Aquat. Sci. 53/1:1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J.M., D.M. Guan, F. Elbaz-Poulichet, A.J. Thomas and V.V. Gordeev, 1993. Preliminary assessment, of the distributions of some trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) in a pristine aquatic environment: the Lena River estuary (Russia). Mar. Chem. 43:185–199.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J.M. and M. Meybeck, 1979. Elemental mass-balance of material carried by major world rivers. Mar. Chem. 7:173–206.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meybeck, M. and R. Helmer, 1989. The quality of rivers: from pristine stage to global pollution. Paleogeo. Paleoclim. Paleoecol. 75:283–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Munawar, M. and I.F. Munawar, 1986. The seasonality of phytoplankton in the North American Great Lakes, a comparative synthesis. Hydrobiol. 138:85–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nriagu, J.O., G. Lawson, H.K.T. Wong and V. Cheam, 1996. Dissolved trace metals in Lake Superior, Erie, and Ontario. Environ. Sci. Technol. 30(1):178–187.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quémerais, B., C. Lemieux and K.R. Lum, 1996. Concentrations and transport of trace metals in the St. Lawrence River. Aquat. Sci. 58:52–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rondeau, B., 1993. Qualité des eaux du fleuve Saint-Laurent 1985–1990. Tronçon Cornwall-Québec. Centre Saint-Laurent, Environnement Canada, 242 pp.

  • Shiller, A.M. and E.A. Boyle, 1987. Variability of dissolved trace metals in the Mississippi River. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 51:3273–3277.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stadelman, P., J.E. Moore and E. Pickett, 1974. Primary production in relation to temperature structure, biomass concentration, and light conditions at an inshore and offshore station in Lake Ontario. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 31(7):1215–1232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stumm W. and J.J. Morgan, 1996. Aquatic chemistry. Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trefry, J.H., T.A. Nelsen, R.P. Trocine, S. Metz and T.W. Vetter, 1986. Trace metal fluxes through the Mississippi River delta system. Rapp. P.-v. Réun. Cons. int. Explor. Mer 186:277–288.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US EPA 1984. Federal Register, Part VIII, EPA Guidelines establishing test procedures for the analysis of pollutants under the clean water act: final rule and proposed rule, 40 CFR Part 136.

  • Van der Weijden, C.H. and J.J. Middelburg, 1989. Hydrogeochemistry of the River Rhine: long term and seasonal variability, elemental budgets, base levels and pollution. Wat. Res. 10:1247–1266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeats, P.A. and J.M. Bewers, 1982. Discharge of metals from the St. Lawrence River. Can. J. Earth Sci. 19(5):982–992.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. St. Lawrence Centre, Contamination of the Aquatic Environment, Environment Canada, 105 McGill, 7th floor, H2Y 2E7, Montréal, Québec

    Bernadette Quémerais

  2. World Conservation Union, 380 St. Antoine Street West, Suite 3200, H2Y 3X7, Montréal, Québec

    Ken R. Lum

Authors
  1. Bernadette Quémerais
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ken R. Lum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bernadette Quémerais.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Quémerais, B., Lum, K.R. Distribution and temporal variation of cadmium in the St. Lawrence river basin. Aquatic Science 59, 243–259 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02523276

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02523276

Key words

Search

Navigation