Environmental monitoring of trace element concentrations in volcanogenic sediments, North Taranaki, New Zealand

Abstract

Examination of the trace element content of sediment samples from the Waitara river and coastal embayment around the Waitara Borough sewer outfall using X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry has shown that the trace element concentrations are aproductof sediments from two different geological sources. Multiple regression analyses provided expressions that accounted for much of the variance associated with the concentration of the trace elements lead, copper, vanadium, and zinc in the sediments. Expressions of this type could in the future be used to identify increases in trace element concentrations in the sediment above background concentrations as a result of waste discharges. The distribution of sediments in this coastal environment show that high wave energy in the area maintains a constant cycling of the bottom sediments, eliminating much of the fine sediment which is deposited by the Waitara river. These findings are significant for proposed and existing waste water discharges in ihe area.

Key words:

• sediments
• trace elements
• Taranaki
• New Zealand