Impact of sedimentation in the Dommel flood plain on heavy metal availability and bioaccumulation in flora and fauna

Impact of sedimentation in the Dommel flood plain on heavy metal availability and bioaccumulation in flora and fauna

Vink, J.
Klaver, G.
Joziasse, J.

2007-04-01

This report describes the application of the BioChem-DSS, being developed in the EU KP6-programme AquaTerra, BASIN R3 work package, with the aim to assist in the definition and improvement of management options for the Meuse region. A case study was carried out in a flood plain site of the river Dommel, a tributary to the Meuse. The present T0-situation was established, and the chemical and toxicological effects of sedimentation resulting from flooding events were investigated. In the T1 scenario, the sedimentation of 10 cm of Dommel sediment was simulated. The quality of the suspended solids in the Dommel is very poor. As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn concentrations all exceed the quality standards for soil ("Intervention value") by some factors. In the T2 scenario, sedimentation was simulated when the metal load of the Eindergatloop, discharging into the Dommel, would be reduced to zero. Plant uptake did not differ much between scenarios, which was expected because the deposited layer is too small to achieve physical contact between the sediment and the roots of most plants. For monocotyls however, some differences occur. Internal contents of the shoots are doubled from 0.15 mg/kg dw in the T0-scenario to 0.31 mg/kg dw in the T1-scenario. Grasses are a preferred food category for most herbivores, and may therefore impose a significant contribution to the dietary uptake of cadmium. Cadmium and zinc are effectively accumulated by willow. Dicotyls take up copper in larger amounts. It is apparent that actual risks at the Borkel site depend on the type of land use and habitat, and key species that may occur or are foreseen in future redevelopment situations. The largest body concentrations for invertebrates will occur with scenario T1. Metal accumulation is a factor 2 (Cd, worm) to 7 (Zn, isopod) larger than in the present T0 situation. For the T2 scenario, body concentrations are lower than for the T1 scenario, but are still elevated in comparison to the present T0 situation.

cadmium
metal accumulation
BioChem-DSS
Meuse
Dommel
river
sedimentation
flooding events
CT04.20
Waterkwaliteit en Calamiteiten
CT04.23.11
Zwevend slib en waterkwaliteit
Delft Cluster

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report

(c) 2007 Vink, J., Klaver, G., Joziasse, J.