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Sediments and Water Interactions pp 157–165Cite as

Geochemical Trends in Sediments From 13 Italian Subalpine Lakes

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Abstract

Twenty-two selected cores from 13 lakes of the subalpine region of northern Italy were collected and analyzed for nutrient (carbon [C], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P], photosynthetic pigments) and trace element (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) distributions. The enrichment factors for nutrients, determined by 137Cs activity in the sediment profiles, ranged typically from 1 to 3 and can be as high as 6 in the heavily eutrophicated lakes. About 80% of the lakes present a considerable or high degree of contamination, and pollution is most noticeable since 1974. There are considerable enrichment factors for Cd (Lake Lugano/Ponte Tresa basin), Hg (Lake Como/Como basin), Zn (Lake Garda/Desenzano basin), and Cd (Lake Garda/Peschiera). Over the last 30 years, the impact of human activities has been most serious in lakes Annone Ovest, Segrino, Monate, and Annone Est. A modified sedimentologic approach (Håkanson, 1980) has been applied to estimate the risk factors for trace elements in each lake. Thus, it is possible to establish priorities in aquatic pollution control programs, focusing the attention on those elements that show the highest risk factors.

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Authors
  1. G. Premazzi
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  2. A. Provini
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  3. G. F. Gaggino
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  4. G. Parise
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Water Research Institute, Canada Centre for Inland Waters (CCIW), L7R 4A6, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

    Peter G. Sly

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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Premazzi, G., Provini, A., Gaggino, G.F., Parise, G. (1986). Geochemical Trends in Sediments From 13 Italian Subalpine Lakes. In: Sly, P.G. (eds) Sediments and Water Interactions. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4932-0_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4932-0_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9364-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-4932-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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