Monitoring of arsenic occurrence in Intertidal sediments of River Scheldt (Belgium)

摘要

This study aimed to assess the occurrence of arsenic in the intertidal sediments of the River Scheldt in Belgium. Samples of the sediments were collected from fourteen different locations along the River Scheldt up to 100cm depth and analysed for physicochemical properties and arsenic contents. The study revealed that the arsenic contents in the sediment samples varied in widely, from 2. 32 to 140. 23mg·kg dry sediment. However, the arsenic concentrations were generally below the background concentrations and the remediation thresholds of arsenic in Flanders, Belgium. Strong positive correlations were observed between arsenic contents and organic matter and clay contents. In contrast, negative correlations existed between the arsenic contents and the sand contents and pH.