MERCURY, ARSENIC, ANTIMONY, AND SELENIUM CONTENTS OF SEDIMENT FROM THE KUSKOKWIM RIVER, BETHEL, ALASKA, USA

The Kuskokwim River at Bethel, Alaska, drains a major mercury-antimony metallogenic province in its upper reaches and tributaries. Bethel (p opulation 4000) is situated on the Kuskokwim floodplain and also draws its water supply from wells located in river-deposited sediment. A bo ring through overbank and floodplain sediment has provided material to establish a baseline datum for sediment-hosted heavy metals. Mercury (total), arsenic, antimony, and selenium contents were determined; alu minum was also determined and used as normalizing factor. The contents of the heavy metals were relatively constant with depth and do not re flect any potential enrichment from upstream contaminant sources.