Temporal and Spatial Trends in Metal Loadings to Sediments of the Turkey Lakes, Ontario

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Abstract
Sediment core profiles of metal concentration and 210Pb activity were used to calculate metal loadings to five small Precambrian Shield lakes of the Turkey Lakes system near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Background, natural concentrations (pre-1900) of Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Hg reflected concentrations in local bedrock. Surface loading rates of Al, Cu, Ni, and Cr were not significantly greater than background rates. Fe and Mn enrichment of surface sediment and the downstream accumulation in the five lakes indicated the mobility of these elements. Four metals, Pb, Cd, Hg, and Zn, had significant anthropogenic inputs, which averaged 18, 1.7, 1.4, and 0.6 times background loadings, respectively. Precipitation loadings of Pb and Hg were several times greater than background accumulation in lake sediments. Precipitation laodings of Cu, Ni, Zn, and Cd were the same order to magnitude as background inputs to sediments.

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