Investigating the metal contamination of sediment transported by the 2016 Seine River flood (Paris, France)

Abstract

Fine sediment transport in rivers is exacerbated during flood events. These particles may convey various contaminants (i.e. metals, pathogens, industrial chemicals, etc.), and significantly impact water quality. The exceptional June 2016 flood of the Seine River (catchment area: 65 000 km, France), potentially mobilized and deposited contaminated materials throughout the Paris region. Flood sediment deposits (n = 29) were collected along the Seine River and its main tributaries upstream (Yonne, Loing and Marne Rivers) and downstream of Paris (Oise and Eure Rivers). Fallout radionuclides (Cs, Be) were measured to characterize the sources of the material transiting the river, while trace elements (e.g. Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, As, Cd, Sb, Pb, Tl, Ag) and stable lead isotopes (Pb/Pb) were analyzed to quantify the contamination of sediment transported during the flood. In upper sections of the Seine River, sediment mainly originated from the remobilization of particles with a well-balanced contribution of surface and subsurface sources. In the upstream tributaries, sediment almost exclusively originated from the remobilization of subsurface particles. In Paris and downstream of Paris, recently eroded particles and surface sources dominated, suggesting particles were mainly supplied by urban runoff and the erosion of agricultural soils. The highest metal concentrations and Enrichment Factors (EF) were found in the sediment collected in the Loing, Orge and Yvette upstream tributaries. Although these inputs were diluted in the Seine River, an increase in elemental concentrations was observed, progressing downstream through Paris. However, EFs in sediment collected along the Seine River were lower or in the same range of values sampled over the last several decades, reflecting the progressive decontamination of the urbanized Seine River basin.

Flow and fate of silver nanoparticles in small French catchments under different land-uses: The first one-year study

“…[Sb] µg/L R 2 = 0.70 p = 0.002 ities are reported. A recent evaluation on historical trace pollutants load (Sb, Ag, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb) in the Seine River watershed reports lower values in sediments reflecting the progressive decontamination of the catchment (Le Gall et al, 2018). Thus new source of silver such as biocidal plastics and textiles (Vance, 2015) are uncorrelated to those historical trace pollutant elements as seen in this study.…”

Geochemical Footprint of Megacities on River Sediments: A Case Study of the Fourth Most Populous Area in India, Chennai

“…Elevated content of trace elements have been reported in river sediments of megacities. In Paris (Seine river basin, France), trace element concentrations in sediment varied by one order of magnitude in peri-urban streams [21,22]. Changes in trace element concentrations over time appear to be the result of increases in both population and industrial activities [23][24][25].…”

Innovative combination of tracing methods to differentiate between legacy and contemporary PAH sources in the atmosphere-soil-river continuum in an urban catchment (Orge River, France)

“…The similarities between soil and river samples (including sediments and SPM) highlighted by Gall et al, 2018). Those floodplain sediments appeared to present a PAH signature similar to the Seine River sediments ( Figure 4).…”