Weser river

European eel, Anguilla anguiiia Weser River, Germany 1991 ... 

To a minor degree degradation products of the pesticide DDT might be useful Elbe-specific marker compounds, because of the longer period of DDT application in the catchment area of the Elbe river in contrast to the Weser and Ems rivers and the high concentration of DDD and DDE found in water as well as suspended particulate matter of the Elbe river (Goetz et al., 1994, lit). The para-substituted isomer of DDE could be detected only in sediment samples mainly influenced by the Elbe river (sites A,B,C), whereas 4,4 -DDD occurred additonally at sites D, E and F, but not at site G that is influenced by the Weser river. 

Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-l,l,l-trichlorethane (DDT) and related substances were also detected in the North Sea sediments and were previously characterized as abundant compounds in the Elbe river system. They are only of minor use as marker substances because of their widespread occurrence in the aquatic environment (Schwarzbauer et al. 2000). However, DDT was applied in the Elbe river catchment area for a longer period of time than in regions affecting the Ems and Weser rivers. Hence, elevated concentrations were recently detected in Elbe river water and sediments (e.g., Goetz et al. 1994, Dannenberger and Lerz 1998, Ricking et al. 2003, Schulze et al. 2003) and, consequently, the application of DDT metabolites as Elbe specific marker compounds has to be reevaluated by quantitative analyses. 

In order to discern the discussed Elbe marker compounds from nonmarker substances several nonspecific contaminants were analysed additionally. These contaminants include galaxolide, tonalide, tri- -butylphosphate, 2,4,4-trimethylpentane-l, 3-dioldi-Ao-butyrate (TPDB) and 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (HMN). No significant accumulation of these compounds was observed at sampling locations mainly influenced by either the Elbe river or the Ems and Weser rivers. 

Figure 4-3 Sorption Kinetics of Different Radionuclides on Suspended Matter from Weser River (Schoer Fdrstner, 1985)...

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. 

Detailed investigations were carried out in the estuaries of some of the European rivers such as the Elbe, Weser and the Ems (Fig. 12) in order to understand the nature of these processes. The major emphasis during these studies was the behaviour of organic matter during estuarine mixing. 

Fig. 12. Map depicting sampling locations in the estuaries of the rivers Elbe, Weser and the Ems Rivers.

Fig. 15. Plots of salinity vs. dissolved sugars in the rivers Elbe, Weser and Ems.

The selected case study (Section 7) demonstrates the hazard potential of river sediments. In numerous investigations, pT-values were generated for sediments and dredged material of the rivers Rhine (with its tributaries Moselle and Saar), Ems, Weser, Elbe, Oder and their estuaries, as well as the North and Baltic Seas. Several pT-values were also generated for sediments in the Sepetiba Bay (Federal State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) to identify toxic areas. Again, the pT-method was used as an ecotoxicological discriminator to map out sediment quality in polluted zones (Soares and de Freitas, 2000). 

A black species, found at Gossaria, which exudes a yellow fluid very hard and unknown to jewellers. It is found, but that rarely, in the portion of the ancient Hercynian forest which filled the country between the Weser and Elbe. It is undoubtedly the black stone Medus of Albertus, which also when broken exuded a yellow fluid. There is another species of a green colour. The name Medus refers to Media whence it is brought, and it is also found near the Phasis, a river of Colchis. 

The Europa s six years of enforced immobility came to an end when the. merican authorities moved her across the River Weser to drydock for inspection and repainting.. Afterwards she sailed to the United States where she was refitted as a troop transport. She is seen still wearing the dazzle colouring which had been applied for her participation in Operation Sealion. (Imperial U ar Museum)... 

Concentrations of HHCB (5 to 191 pg/kg) and AHTN (2 to 1399 pg/kg) in Lippe river sediments were higher than those measured in a similar study by Lach and Steffen (1997), who investigated sediments of five German rivers (Elbe, Weser, Ems, Leine and Oker river). They reported concentrations of up to 54 pg/kg and up to 3.9 pg/kg for HHCB and AHTN, respectively. In contrast to Lach and Steffen (1997) ADBI was not found in this study, but AHMI could be quantified in two sediment samples collected near the river mouth. 

Because of the intense analytical approach (Fig. 2) only the samples of these seven locations were investigated. Three of the samples seemed to be directly influenced by the Elbe river (A,B) and the Weser and Ems rivers (G), whereas the contributions of the riverine systems to the organic matter of the sediments situated farer from the coastal area (C,D,E,F) are still ambiguous. 

All identified Elbe-specific substances are only potential molecular markers at present, because marker compounds reflecting the input of the Weser and the Ems river to the sediments of the German Bight are not known. 

Schoer, J., Eggersgluess, D., 1982. Chemical forms of heavy metals in sediments and suspended matter of Weser, Elbe and Ems rivers. Mitt. Geol. Paleontol. Inst., Univ. Hamburg 52, 667-685. 

The city of Nordenham is a seaport of about 33 000 inhabitants, located on the mouth of the river Weser, in the northern part of the Federal Republic of Germany. A large lead-zinc smelter is the source of airborne lead pollution in the area. Since about 1974 different strata of the population have been screened for indications of undue lead absorption by the Federal Health Office (Berlin). One such screening programme represents the basis of both the initial and the follow-up study. 

---