Abstract
Research report:A complete understanding of the fate of heavy metals depends on detailed information of the behavior of individual sewage constituents (and their natural counterparts) prior to, during, and subsequent to sedimentation. Sediments affected by a major submarine wastewater outfall in the Palos Verdes shelf were analyzed for total mercury and organic mercury to assess the bioavailability of mercury to local marine life. Chemical leaching studies were also performed to determine the phase partitioning of mercury in these sediments. Results indicate that a small decrease in surface sediment concentrations of mercury off Palos Verdes has occurred during 1972-75. This decline may be due to several factors, including the reduced emission of wastewater solids. In the most contaminated sediments, mercury appears to be accumulating in a refractory phase, and is therefore largely unavailable for introduction into the tissues of local marine life. (6 graphs, 2 maps, 28 references, 4 tables)
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