Introduction - Application of Geochemical Tracers to Fluvial Sediment - page 5

Fig. 1.3 Percentages of selected metals transported in the dissolved and particulate phases within
the Amazon and Yukon Rivers. The percentages transported with particulate species are generally
greater than 90% (data from Gibbs 1977 ; figure from Miller and Orbock Miller 2007 )

Table 1.1 Ratio of dissolved to total elemental transport in rivers
Percentage (%) Elements Dominant transport load

1-0.1 Ga,Tm,Lu,Gd,Ti,Er,Nd,Ho,La,

Sm,Tb,Yb,Fe,Eu,Ce,Pr,Al

Particulate phase

10-1 P, Ni, Si, Rb, U, Co, Mn, Cr, Th, Pb,

V, C s

Particulate phase

Li, N a , Sb, As, Mg, B, Mo, F a ,Cu,
Zn, Ba, K

Mixed aqueous and particulate
phase
90-50 Br, I a ,S a ,Cl a ,Ca,Na,Sr Aqueous phase
Lower percentages indicate a greater proportion within the particulate phase
a Estimates based on elemental contents in shales
Adapted from Martin and Meybeck ( 1979 )

50-10

fair to say that the field has grown over the past 20-years into a scientific subdiscipline
in and of itself as indicated by the publication of multiple topics on the topic (e.g.,
Morrison and Murphy 2006 ; Murphy and Morrison 2007 ; Morrison and Sullivan
2007 ; Hester and Harrison 2008 ; Mudge 2009 ; Bergslien 2012 ), the creation of
two scientific journals devoted entirely or partially to the field ( Environmental
Forensics and Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts ), and the creation of
university degree programs in Environmental Forensics.
Even a cursory examination of the above mentioned topics shows that tracer
technology has become an integral part of Environmental Forensics. For example,