Trace metal clean sampling and analysis techniques were used to examine the
temporal patterns of Hg, Cu, and Zn concentrations in shallow ground water
, and the relationships between metal concentrations in ground water and in
a hydrologically connected river. Hg, Cu, and Zn concentrations in ground
water ranged from 0.07 to 4.6 ng L-1, 0.07 to 3.10 mug L-1, and 0.17 to 2.1
8 mug L-1, respectively. There was no apparent seasonal pattern in any of t
he metal concentrations. Filtrable Hg, Cu, and Zn concentrations in the Nor
th Branch of the Milwaukee River ranged from below the detection limit to 2
.65 ng Hg L-1, 0.51 to 4.30 mug Cu L-1, and 0.34 to 2.33 mug Zn L-1. Thus,
metal concentrations in ground water were sufficiently high to account for
a substantial fraction of the filtrable trace metal concentration in the ri
ver. Metal concentrations in the soil ranged from 8 to 86 ng Hg g(-1), 10 t
o 39 mug Cu g(-1), and 15 to 84 mug Zn g(-1). Distribution coefficients, K-
D in the aquifer were 7900, 22,000, and 23,000 L kg(-1) for Hg, Cu, and Zn,
respectively. These values were three to 30 times smaller than KD values o
bserved in the Milwaukee River for suspended particulate matter.