SEQUENTIAL EXTRACTION OF SPRING SEDIMENTS IN THE OZARKS

Sediment quality was utilized to assess the impact of human activities to water quality within the Ozarks by measuring the variation of heavy metals and other elements of interest in sediments of caves and springs. A sequential extraction of sediments collected from several urban and rural springs and streams of southwest Missouri was conducted to determine the availability and mobility of heavy metals present. The results indicate that most of the heavy metals are bound almost entirely to the less mobile iron-oxide and residual solid phases. The presence of minor and major cations was influenced by the type of rock and by human impacts, with the effects of the former being more notorious overall. Sediments from the samples collected in urban settings showed a consistency of values both for background as an indicator or a pollution occurrence. To determine the background possible variations, spatial variability and relationship sediment-water were also investigated.