Distribution of iron and manganese in the Seine river estuary: approach with experimental laboratory mixing

The physico-chemical behaviour of iron and manganese has been observed during many surveys covering various hydrodynamic conditions in the Seine river estuary system. The results obtained confirm the non-conservative behaviour of these two metals. Generally, dissolved iron exhibits non-conservative removal and shows a rapid decrease in low salinity; it is moved from fresh waters with high concentrations to saline waters with very low concentrations. This can be attributed to the flocculation processes as confirmed by laboratory experiments. Dissolved manganese versus salinity curves exhibit a peak concentration in the low salinity zone. Laboratory mixing experiments have been undertaken comparing iron and manganese adsorption/desorption from suspended material versus salinity, using a series of water samples collected in the up-river and marine regions in order to assess the importance of particulate material and salinity on iron and manganese distributions. The salinity was controlled by varying the marine to fresh water ratio. The reaction kinetics aspect is developed in more detail for manganese in the last series of remobilization experiments starting from a stock of suspended particles collected in the upstream river site (Caudebec) in mixtures of waters, according to time and salinity. This study has allowed us to show that iron and manganese behaviour in the Seine estuary is strongly influenced: (i) by the high turbidity zone and by the presence of calcium carbonate which could stabilise the Mn(II) form; and (ii) by the increase of salinity, calcium, magnesium and suspended matter concentrations and by complex formation.