Salty chemical cocktails as water quality signatures: Longitudinal trends and breakpoints along different U.S. streams.

ABSTRACT: Along urban streams and rivers, various processes, including road salt application, sewage leaks, and weathering of the built environment, contribute to novel chemical cocktails made up of metals, salts, nutrients, and organic matter. In order to track the impacts of urbanization and management strategies on water quality, we conducted longitudinal stream synoptic (LSS) monitoring in nine watersheds in five major metropolitan areas of the U.S. During each LSS monitoring survey, 10-53 sites were sampled along the flowpath of streams as they flowed along rural to urban gradients. Results demonstrated that major ions derived from salts (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺) and correlated elements (e.g. Sr²⁺, N, Cu) formed 'salty chemical cocktails' t

SUBMITTER: Shelton SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11371123 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature