Industrialization as recorded in floodplain deposits of the Quinnipiac River, Connecticut

The historical record of industrial development of the Quinnipiac River, CT, was determined, based on heavy metal analysis and radiometric dating of flood plain deposits. A vertical sediment profile for heavy metals was established for the last 10,000 yr in this severely polluted waterway. Radiometric dating data are consistent with a steady state depositional history over the last 40-50 yr, with peak industrial activity occurring in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Lead concentrations elevated over background levels were documented, and cesium 137 activity coincided with known nuclear testing and fallout trends.