History of metal contamination in Lake Illawarra, NSW, Australia

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dc.contributor.authorSchneider, Len_AU
dc.contributor.authorMaher, Wen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPotts, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGruber, Ben_AU
dc.contributor.authorBatley, GEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTaylor, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChariton, AAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorKrikowa, Fen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZawadzki, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHeijnis, Hen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2014-12-22T00:39:54Zen_AU
dc.date.available2014-12-22T00:39:54Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2015-01-01en_AU
dc.date.statistics2015-12-22en_AU
dc.description.abstractLake Illawarra has a long history of sediment contamination, particularly by metals, as a result of past and current industrial operations and land uses within the catchment. In this study, we examined the history of metal contamination in sediments using metal analysis and 210Pb and 137Cs dating. The distributions of copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, cadmium and lead concentrations within sediment cores were in agreement with historical events in the lake, and indicated that metal contamination had been occurring since the start of industrial activities in Port Kembla in the late 1800s. Most metal contamination, however, has occurred since the 1960s. Sedimentation rates were found to be 0.2 cm year−1 in Griffins Bay and 0.3 cm year−1 in the centre of the lake. Inputs from creeks bringing metals from Port Kembla in the northeast of the lake and a copper slag emplacement from a former copper refinery on the Windang Peninsula were the main sources of metal inputs to Lake Illawarra. The metals of highest concern were zinc and copper, which exceeded the Australian and New Zealand sediment quality guideline values at some sites. Results showed that while historical contamination persists, current management practices have resulted in reduced metal concentrations in surface sediments in the depositional zones in the centre of the lake.© 2015, Elsevier Ltd.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationSchneider, L., Maher, W., Potts, J., Batley, G., Taylor, A., Krikowa, F., Chariton, A., Zawadzki, A., Heijnis, H., & Gruber, B. (2015). History of metal contamination in Lake Illawarra, NSW, Australia. Chemosphere, 119, 377-386. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.04.055en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc5710en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0045-6535en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleChemosphereen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination659-670en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.06.058en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/6098en_AU
dc.identifier.volume119en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectMetalsen_AU
dc.subjectContaminationen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectSedimentsen_AU
dc.subjectAge estimationen_AU
dc.subjectZincen_AU
dc.subjectCopperen_AU
dc.titleHistory of metal contamination in Lake Illawarra, NSW, Australiaen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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