On the control of copper colloidal distribution by humic substances in the Penzé estuary

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the variations of colloidal Cu in a temperate macrotidal estuarine system (Penzé, NW France). The originality of this work resides on examining seven colloidal/dissolved fractions at seven different periods of the year whereas previous studies on estuaries generally considered two or three fractions and were focused on a unique survey. A high proportion of Cu (∼90%) was generally found as colloids (5kDa–0.45μm) throughout the salinity gradient with divergent size distributions being observed over the seasonal cycle. This consisted essentially in two contrasted periods, i.e. winter-spring with a greater association of Cu with high molecular weight (HMW) compounds (50kDa–0.45μm) and summer-autumn with Cu being found mainly as low molecular weight (LMW) forms (5–50kDa). The comparison of Cu with humic substances (HS) data allowed to us to highlight the importance of the pedogenic refractory organic matter in controlling the concentrations and the size distribution of Cu in the estuary. In the mixing zone, Cu behaved conservative in autumn and winter but important additions of HMW compounds were observed in spring in the lower estuary as the result of particulate organic matter degradation in the sediment. Although HS appears to be the background chelators of Cu in the systems, the strong benthic inputs occurring in spring may be of different (biotic) origin and may be in part responsible for the higher association of Cu with HMW compounds.