Mobility of heavy metals within freshwater sediments affected by motorway stormwater

The assessment of the mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals in sediment samples requires the use of sequential extraction procedures. Results for sediments taken from an unmanaged motorway detention pond showed heavy metals to be associated with the carbonate and residual fractions. In particular, nickel and cadmium showed a high percentage association, compared with other geochemical fractions, such as carbonates and residual fractions. Copper and zinc were shown to be associated with carbonates and iron–manganese oxides, whereas lead showed the strongest association (72%) with the Fe–Mn oxides. When compared to a groundwater-fed lake on the same site, all heavy metals contained within this sediment were found to be at much lower concentrations and strongly associated with the residual fraction (>50%) and are therefore strongly bound within the sediment. Following discharge via a wet detention pond, stormwater then flows through a series of interconnecting lake systems. Heavy metal fractionation of these interconnecting lakes is discussed and shows changes in fractionation through the lake system for copper, nickel, lead and zinc. The main concern in these lakes is the continued use of calcium carbonate to maintain freshwater pH for coarse fishing. This practice, used until 1999, may present an enhanced risk to the freshwater environment, causing greater mobility of these metals.