Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Seawater Causes Rapid Trace Metal Mobilisation In Coastal Lowland Acid Sulfate Soils: Implications Of Sea Level Rise For Water Quality, Vanessa Wong, Scott Johnston, Edward Burton, Richard Bush, Leigh Sullivan, Peter Slavich

Associate Professor Edward D Burton

Coastal floodplains are highly vulnerable to inundation with saline water and the likelihood of inundation will increase with sea level rise. Sediment samples from floodplains containing coastal lowland acid sulfate soils (CLASS) in eastern Australia were subjected to increasing seawater concentration to examine the probable effects of sea level rise on acidity and metal desorption. Ten soils were mixed with synthetic seawater concentrations varying from 0% to 100% at a solid:solution ratio of 1:10 for 4 h. There was a slight decrease in pH (≈0.5 units) with increasing seawater concentration following treatment, yet, calculated acidity increased significantly. In most soil …