Abstract

Experimental data on anoxic freshwater sediments from the Hamburg harbor indicate that commonly performed storage and pretreatment methods including aeration by drying strongly change the original associations of heavy metals with different sediment components. Oven-drying as well as freeze-drying under ‘vacuum’ affects metals originally bound to carbonate (Fe, Mn) and to the sulfidic/organic fraction (Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb), as indicated by sequential chemical extractions. While the easily oxidizable Cu and Pb portions are transferred mainly into the moderately reducible fraction, those of Zn and especially Cd are found in easily reducible and labile exchangeable fractions upon aeration of the sediment. Metals from only the latter fractions are potentially mobilizable via pore-water fluxes. Useful information on solid speciation influencing the mobility of contaminants in biogeochemically reactive sediments by the chemical leaching approach requires, therefore, proper and careful handling of the anoxic sediment samples.

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