Abstract
Major cadmium contamination of molluscs was discovered in the Gironde estuary. Studies were then undertaken on biota and on particulate and dissolved phases. Biota was studied by monitoring populations of oysters and mussels transplanted from uncontaminated areas into the Gironde. Studies on particulate and dissolved phases were carried out within the estuary, on the inner shelf, in Marennes-Oléron Bay, and in the drainage basin of the Gironde. It appears that: (i) the estuarine particulate stock, with its long residence time, plays a part in particulate-dissolved transformation, and thus has an effect on chemical conditions in the lower estuary and the coastal zone; (ii) the dissolved cadmium concentrations downstream can explain the concentrations measured in the oysters; (iii) the contamination is recent, and originates from the drainage basin; (iv) a geochemical cadmium budget in the Gironde has been formulated and is discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
