Metal fluxes in the Mersey Narrows

Surveys of the Mersey estuary in north-west England were undertaken near th e mouth of the estuary in the region known as the Mersey Narrows. Tidal flu xes of suspended and dissolved matter, particularly heavy metals, through t he Mersey Narrows were investigated. This paper gives results of conducting four intensive cross-sectional surveys of the Narrows, during which curren ts, salinities, turbidity and water samples were obtained systematically at numerous positions, throughout selected tidal cycles. Over 300 water sampl es per survey were analysed to yield suspended and dissolved concentrations of the elements As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn, at all states of the ti de. Suspended solids, concentrations and salinities were also measured. Sus pended particulates account for the majority of each element present, excep t for cadmium, which was present in roughly equal dissolved and suspended f ractions. From the tidal current and water quality data, calculations were made of hour-by-hour fluxes of each component, to show the detailed ebb and flow of heavy metals and the net tidal transport of each component. Althou gh some differences between landward transport on the flood tide and seawar d transport on the ebb were not significant, the more definite results cons istently showed a seawards net transport. For spring tides of high tidal ra nge, there was an indication of an opposite tendency, reducing the seawards transport or even reversing it, for certain suspended components.