Rhine/Meuse estuary

Nolet, B.A., V.A.A. Dijkstra, and D. Heidecke. 1994. Cadmium in beavers translocated from the Elbe River to the Rhine/Meuse estuary, and the possible effect on population growth rate. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 27 154-161. 

Duinker JC, Hillebrand MTJ. 1979. Behaviour of PCB, pentachlorobenzene, hexacMorobenzene, alpha-HCH, gamma-HCH, beta-HCH, dieldrin, endrin and p,p -DDD in the Rhine-Meuse estuary and the adjacent coastal area. Neth J Sea Res 13 256-281. 

De Voogt et al. [23] analysed marine and estuarine sediments from 22 sites in northwestern Europe (extending from Ireland and France to Norway and Sweden) by HPLC-FL. NP, OP, AgPEO and AgPEO concentration ranges of 0.1-17, highest levels were found in the estuaries of the rivers Seine, Mersey, Rhine/Meuse, Weser and Elbe. 

Levels in SPM tended to decrease along the Dutch coast in a northerly direction with increasing distance from the main (Rhine/Meuse and Scheldt) estuaries. Locally in the western Scheldt estuary near the same industrial area mentioned in the preceding paragraph, levels in SPM up to 22 jjLg AgPEO g-1 were reported. 

A comparison of Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt estuaries revealed that in the Rhine estuary, with its relatively short residence times of the water, concentrations on estuarine SPM were similar to or higher (ratios estuarine/freshwater >1) than those upstream (i.e. on freshwater SPM from the river), whereas in Meuse and Scheldt estuaries with longer residence times of the water, particulate matter concentrations of A9PEO are much lower (ratios < 1) than in samples taken upstream (see Fig. 6.4.3). For NP this phenomenon is also... 

Similar hndings have been reported on a more incidental base from other areas in the world. From these, the common estuaries of the rivers Rhine/Meuse/Scheldt in Northwest Europe are relatively well studied with regard to chlorinated aromatic compounds. Breeding success of several birds species in this area (cormorant and common tern) has been shown to be related to contamination levels.106,107 Other species, however, do not show signihcantly reduced breeding success and do not seem to be at risk.108... 

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