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Geochemistry and related studies of Clyde Estuary sediments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 November 2018

David G. Jones ,
Christopher H. Vane ,
Solveigh Lass-Evans ,
Simon Chenery ,
Bob Lister ,
Mark Cave ,
Joana Gafeira ,
Gareth Jenkins ,
Alick Leslie  and
Neil Breward
...Show all authors
David G. Jones
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Christopher H. Vane*
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Solveigh Lass-Evans
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK.
Simon Chenery
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Bob Lister
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Mark Cave
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Joana Gafeira
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK.
Gareth Jenkins
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Alick Leslie
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK.
Neil Breward
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Katy Freeborough
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Ian Harrison
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Alexander W. Kim
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Alicja Lacinska
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Tony Milodowski
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
John Ridgway
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Jim Riding
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Mick Strutt
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Doris Wagner
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
Ian Wilkinson
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. Email: [email protected]
*
*Corresponding author
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Abstract

Geochemical and related studies have been made of near-surface sediments from the River Clyde estuary and adjoining areas, extending from Glasgow to the N, and W as far as the Holy Loch on the W coast of Scotland, UK. Multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar and shallow seismic data, taken with core information, indicate that a shallow layer of modern sediment, often less than a metre thick, rests on earlier glacial and post-glacial sediments. The offshore Quaternary history can be aligned with onshore sequences, with the recognition of buried drumlins, settlement of muds from quieter water, probably behind an ice dam, and later tidal delta deposits. The geochemistry of contaminants within the cores also indicates shallow contaminated sediments, often resting on pristine pre-industrial deposits at depths less than 1m. The distribution of different contaminants with depth in the sediment, such as Pb (and Pb isotopes), organics and radionuclides, allow chronologies of contamination from different sources to be suggested. Dating was also attempted using microfossils, radiocarbon and 210Pb, but with limited success. Some of the spatial distribution of contaminants in the surface sediments can be related to grain-size variations. Contaminants are highest, both in absolute terms and in enrichment relative to the natural background, in the urban and inner estuary and in the Holy Loch, reflecting the concentration of industrial activity.

Keywords

contaminantsmetalsorganicsPb isotopesQuaternary historyradionuclidesScotlandUK
Type
Articles
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 108 , Issue 2-3: The Geosciences in Europe’s Urban Sustainability: Lessons from Glasgow and Beyond (CUSP) , June 2017 , pp. 269 - 288
Copyright
Copyright © British Geological Survey UKRI 2018 

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