Element fluxes from the river Po to the
Adriatic Sea: state of knowledge and
future needs for estimating element
transport by large rivers
Davide Vignati1, Marina Camusso2 and Janusz Dominik1
1Institut
F.-A. Forel – University of Geneva, Switzerland
2 IRSA-CNR, Brugherio (Milan), Italy
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The river Po basin
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Modified from Battegazzore et al. (1991)
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The river Po
Middle course (Le Gabbiane)
The delta
Fishing huts in the delta
River Po during flood (October 2000)
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Water Quality in the river Po
Good
Fair
Bad
Poor
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Unclassified
From Caggiati, 1999
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Concentration vs. flow relatioships
Type 2c
Type 2b
Type 1a
C: element concentration
Type 3a
Type 2a
Q: river flow
b: baseline concentration
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Modified from Davis and Zobriest, 1978
Cu and Pb fluxes for different periods
900
800
-1
Flux (t yr )
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
77/78
88/90
Cu
94
94/95
95/96
Pb
Data from Camusso et al., 1998; 2001; Tankéré et al., 2000
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Hydrology of the river Po (1988 – 1998)
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Effect of river hydrology on element fluxes
Total Cu fluxes
Avg. annual concentration
(mg m-3)
600
500
Total flux (t yr-1)
Average annual Cu concentrations
400
300
200
100
12
10
0
1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000
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8
6
4
2
0
1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000
Partitioning of element fluxes between filterable and
particulate components
Pb
Cu
100%
Percentage flux
80%
60%
40%
20%
80%
60%
40%
20%
Sample number
38
33
29
25
21
17
13
9
5
36
31
26
21
16
11
6
0%
1
0%
1
Percentage flux
100%
Sample number
Particulate flux
Filterable flux
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Modified from Camusso et al., 2001
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Possible partitioning of total filterable Pb and Cu
loads between the colloidal and truly dissolved
components
Lead
Copper
76%
20%
80%
24%
Colloidal
Truly dissolved
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Colloidal
Truly dissolved
Conclusions
1) Estimates must be:
a) Produced
b) Revised
c) Periodically updated
2) Effect of river hydrology (sampling design)
3) Flux partitioning
4) Global efforts and harmonisation still needed
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Works cited
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Battegazzore, M., Petersen, R.C. and Provini, A. 1991. Comparison between chemical and biological approaches for the
evaluation of the organic enrichment of the River Po (Italy). Proceedings of the International Workshop on “Lowland
Stream Restoration”, Lund, Sweden, 25-30 August 1991.
Caggiati G. (1999). A strategy for the control of eutrophication. In Proceedings of the 1st National Conference on Water
Protection, Rome, 26-29-30 September 1999, pp. 101-114 (in Italian).
Pagnotta, R., Caggiati, C., Piazza, D. and Ferrari, F. 1995. In controllo della qualità delle acque superficiali del bacino
padano. Situazione attuale e prospettive future (Water quality assessment in surface waters of the “Padana plain” basin.
Current state and perspectives). Inquinamento, 4, 8-14. (In Italian).
IRSA. 1989. Un sistema informativo per la gestione della qualità delle acque: un’applicazione ai corsi d’acqua italiani (A
system for the management of water quality: application to Italian water courses). Quad. Ist. Ric. Acque, 84, 195pp. (In
Italian).
Davis, J.S., Zobrist, J. 1978. The interrelationships among chemical parameters in rivers - analysing the effect of natural
and anthropogenic sources. Prog. Wat Tech. 10, 65-78.
Camusso, M., Bonacina, M. and Pettine, M. 1998a. Reassessment of element fluxes to the Adriatic Sea from the River
Po. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 7, 51-59.
Camusso, M., Vignati, D. and Pagnotta, R. 2001. I carichi di metalli in traccia del Po durante un evento di piena (Trace
metal loads from the river Po during flood). Inquinamento, 24, 50-6 (in Italian).
Tankéré, S.P.C., Price, N.B. and Statham, P.J. 2000. Mass balance of trace metals in the Adriatic Sea. J. of Marine
Systems, 25, 269-286.
Vignati, D., Camusso, M. and Dominik, J. 2003b. Elemental partitioning : a neglected dimension in the global estimates
of fluvial metal fluxes to oceans ? Book of absract of the International Conference on « The Impact of Global
Environmental Problems on Continental & Coastal Marina Waters », Geneva, Switzerland, 16-18 July 2003.
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