Environmental Monitoring of Technology Critical Elements in contaminated Sediments in the Bothnian Bay, Northern Sweden

• Emerging technologies often are based on a variety of elements, some of which are in high demand for their importance in technological applications but are in relatively short supply. These technology critical elements (TCE) are often insufficiently researched and their natural abundance and behavior in environmental systems can be poorly understood or not known. The increase in demand of TCEs promotes a growth in their dissemination into the environment through anthropogenic means, and a lack of information on their natural abundances and behavior could have adverse effects on communities and natural habitats. This study investigated sediments affected by industrial activity in the Kallholm Bay and the open Bothnian Bay in Northern Sweden. Activities in the area include sulphide ore processing at the Rönnskär smelter as well as secondary scrap metal and end of life electronic recycling. The vertical distribution of TCEs (Ge, Te, Tl, Re, Ta, W, Ga, Nb and REE) were investigated in sediment cores collected in Kallholm Bay and the open Bothnian Bay. Determination of concentrations was achieved through Inductively Coupled Plasma–Sector Field Mass Spectrometry (ICP-SFMS). Fractionation of TCEs and REEs in the sediments was also investigated using a 5-step sequential extraction procedure. Evaluation of anthropogenically impacted sediments showed enrichment of all elements excluding Ga, Nb and the REEs, which are suspected to be of natural origin. Enrichment of Ge, Te, Tl, and Re were assumed to be related to sulphide ore processing whereas Ta and W were related to scrap metal and electronic processing. Several elements (Ge, Tl and Te) showed a change in geochemical behavior related to anthropogenic activity. Only Te showed an increase in the Bothnian Bay sediments related to anthropogenic activity.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Geokemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Geochemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

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