Abstract
© 2018 Ceramic fragments and fractionated (<2 mm) sediment have been sampled from two beaches in southwest England, along with sediment from a control beach where ceramic waste was lacking. Analysis of the glazed ceramic surfaces by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry returned concentrations of Pb up to 729,000 mg kg−1, while XRF analysis of sediment samples revealed high but heterogeneous concentrations of Pb at the two sites impacted by ceramic waste (median = 292 and 737 mg kg−1) compared with the control beach (median ~ 20 mg kg−1). These observations are attributed to the disposal of contemporary and historical ceramic products, and the subsequent attrition of material and contamination of local sediment. Extraction of a milled ceramic composite (Pb = 2780 mg kg−1) by 1 M HCl, revealed a high (34%) environmental mobility and availability of Pb; extraction in a solution of protein, however, suggested a low (0.1%) bioaccessibility to sediment-ingesting invertebrates.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 171-176 |
| Number of pages | 0 |
| Journal | Marine Pollution Bulletin |
| Volume | 138 |
| Issue number | 0 |
| Early online date | 23 Nov 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2019 |
