TRACE METAL VARIABILITY WITHIN THE CONNECTICUT COASTAL ZONE

Trace metals such as Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg and As, above their minimal concentration limits, can pose a potential risk of contamination for the environments in which they are found. In the coastal zone, these metals are often stored in sediments deposited over the last 200 years, and they are vulnerable to redistribution by storms and floods. Previous work in the Long Island Sound and along the Connecticut coast highlights the occurrence of trace metals in estuaries and farther offshore due to anthropogenic and industrial activities beginning in the early 19th century and peaking in the second half of the 20th century. Little work has examined the variability that exists within peak concentrations, behavior with depth, and overall thickness of sediment enriched in trace metals within the Connecticut Coastal Zone. In this study, we present preliminary results from an ongoing study to characterize trace metals in sediment from cores collected within the coastal zone along the Connecticut shoreline of Long Island Sound. We discuss data from 15 cores collected along the coast of New Haven, New London and Middlesex counties. Loss of Ignition (LOI) and portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) techniques were used for analyze organics and metal concentration in the cores. Results highlight that certain trace metals co-vary and their thickness correlates to sedimentation rates along the coastline. Furthermore, accumulation of certain trace metals can be attributed to local sediment sources and specific coastal watersheds that flow through populated areas.