Trace element release from estuarine sediments of South Mosquito Lagoon near Kennedy Space Center

The concentrations of the trace metals, zinc, copper, magnesium and cadmium were determined by flame atomic absorption, from samples of estuarine sediments from a coastal lagoon in Florida, U.S.A. Four extraction procedures were used to determine the release of each trace metal from the sediment under different extraction conditions, and different orders of extractability were found in the different procedures. The distribution of the metals in the four categories may be used to study the mechanism of incorporation of trace elements in sediments from natural waters. Some correlations between seasonal variation of concentrations in sediments and waters and a mechanism for release of metals from sediments are suggested.