Buffer Capacities of Freshwater Lakes Sensitive to Acidic Rain and the Leaching of Toxic Metals from Their Sediments

摘要

The primary goals of the project were to define the buffer capacity of seven fresh water lakes in two different geologies in New Jersey and to determine if significant amounts of trace metals were leached from lake sediments. Data collected showed pH values and alkalinities in six of the seven lakes have probably not decreased due to acidic deposition. The seventh lake, Catfish Pond, is highly acidic. The two lakes which appeared to be the most buffered, White Meadow Lake and Lake Marcia, seem to derive their buffer capacities from the weathering of the clay mineral illite in their sediments; this finding supports the concept that lake bottom sediments may participate in acid neutralization. In six of the lakes, there was no indication that sediments released increased amounts of aluminum, cadmium, lead and zinc into the water column.