C.J. McLerran | USGS Science

USGS2003

Deposition of zinc and cadmium by marine bacteria in estuarine sediments

Mixed cultures of marine bacteria isolated from the sediments of Corpus Christi Harbor were examined for their ability to assimilate or precipitate radioactive zinc and cadmium from solution. Test data indicate that during summer, when bacterial activity is at a maximum, the bacteria and their metabolic byproducts play a significant role in the removal of zinc and cadmium from seawater and their subsequent deposition in marine sediments.

Texas↗

USGS2002

Migration and redistribution of zinc and cadmium in marine estuarine system

A survey of trace-element levels in the estuarine sediments of Texas shows that Corpus Christi Bay has anomalously high concentrations of zinc and cadmium. Maps of elemental abundance within the bay indicate large concentration gradients, the highest values being near the harbor entrance. Seasonal determinations of metal levels in the harbor and bay waters also revealed variations with time. During summer, stagnation of the harbor water increases the concentration of metals so that significant quantities precipitate in the reducing environment of the bottom water. In winter, the exchange of water between the bay and the harbor increases, and metals are redissolved from harbor deposits, washed into the bay, and adsorbed by particles settling to the bottom.

Environmental Science & Technology↗