1. Background and aim
The response of the chemical composition of suspended sediment to variations in river discharge may reveal the sources of sediment and associated contaminants.
In this study, we used the Waterbase database of Rijkswaterstaat (Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) to examine the relation between
the concentration of 53 elements in suspended sediment and discharge of the River Rhine at the Lobith monitoring station near to the German-Dutch border.
Discharge-related variation of the chemical composition of suspended sediment of the River Rhine in the Netherlands
MARCEL VAN DER PERK, ALVARO ESPINOZA VILCHES, HANS MIDDELKOOP
Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands; e-mail: m.vanderperk@uu.nl
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ag in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ag vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ar in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ar vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ba in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ba vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Cs in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Cd vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Cr in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Cr vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Cu in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Cu vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Mo in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Mo vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Na in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Na vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Phosphate in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Phosphate vs Q
Summer Winter Spring Autumn
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Pb in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Pb vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Sb in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Sb vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Sn in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Sn vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ti in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ti vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Zn in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Zn vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
2. Elements showing a negative relation with discharge
Elements originating
primarily from anthropogenic point source discharges
Diluton during periods of high discharge
(Shift of source area to
regions with relatively low concentrations of these
elements during high flows) Seasonality with positive
residuals during autumn and winter and negative residuals during spring and summer
Elements mainly associated with inorganic sediment
particles; dilution by primary production of organic
particulate matter during summer
3. Elements showing a positive relation with discharge
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Al in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Al vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Be in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Be vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Cs in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Cs vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Fe in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Fe vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ga in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ga vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
2 4 6 8 10 12
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
K in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
K vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.180.2
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Li in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Li vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Mg in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Mg vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ni Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ni vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Pr in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Rb vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Th in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Th vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
U in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
U vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
V in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
V vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Dy in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Dy vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Eu in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Eu vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn 0
5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Al in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Al vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Be in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Be vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Cs in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Cs vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Fe in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Fe vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ga in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ga vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
2 4 6 8 10 12
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
K in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
K vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.180.2
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Li in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Li vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Mg in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Mg vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Ni Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Ni vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Pr in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Rb vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Th in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Th vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
U in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
U vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
V in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
V vs Q
Winter Spring Summer
Autumn 0
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Dy in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Dy vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Eu in Suspended Solids [mg/kg]
Discharge [m3/s]
Eu vs Q
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
Elements of geogenic origin
Sediment source area shifts to regions with relatively
high concentrations of these elements during high flows
Negative correlation with organic C, indicating
association with clay minerals
Residuals of the relations show the same seasonality as or elements that are
negatively related to discharge
There are also elements that do not show any relation with discharge, but show a similar seasonal variation
There are also elements that show a negative relation
with discharge, but without seasonality
4. Conclusions
- The direction of the relationship between the element concentration in suspended sediment and discharge indicates whether the elements originate primarily from anthorpogenic or
geogenic sources.
- Primary production of organic carbon affects the element concentration in suspended sediment.
- Future study will examine to what extent the chemical composition of suspended sediment in the River Rhine allows the demarcation of the geographic source area of the sediment.
