Determining the fates of contaminated wastes dumped in the New York bight apex by use of metal enrichment factors

On the basis of a monitoring survey conducted in 1983, sources and fates of metal contaminants in sediments of the New York Bight apex area were estimated using samples from the Christiaensen basin, the upper Hudson Shelf Valley and 3 transects of the apex. Sewage sludge and dumped dredging spoils and the outflow of the Hudson-Raritan estuary were the major sources. Metal enrichment factors, based on ratios of trace metals to iron, were used to distinguish fates of wastes dumped in the apex. Dredging spoils effects were limited in areal extent, while sludge dumping affected about 8 times as large an area. There are 39 references.