Distribution and Flux of Trace Metals (Al, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd,
Pb and U) in the Amazon and Pará River Estuary and Mixing Plume
Abstract
The Amazon River has the largest volume on earth, making up 15–20% of
the annual fluvial discharge into oceans. The neighboring Pará River
mixes with the Amazon River waters in the Amazon Estuary before forming
a plume that extends into the Atlantic. Despite the global importance of
these rivers, dissolved trace metal fluxes from this estuary remain
unknown. Here we present data for dissolved (<0.2 µm) trace
metals (Al, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and U) in the Amazon Estuary
during the high discharge season (April–May 2018). We observed distinct
trace metal signatures for the Amazon and Pará Rivers, reflecting
different catchment areas. Concentrations of the particle-reactive
elements (Mn, Fe and Pb) decreased rapidly at low-salinity (S≤2),
resulting in the highest estuarine removal (86–94% in the Amazon;
61–70% for the Pará). Co, Ni and Cu removal was comparatively low in
both river transects (6–39%), while Cd was the only element with a
consistent net input. Chemical fluxes were estimated using (a) endmember
concentrations and estuarine removal and (b) combining trace element
concentrations with 228Ra fluxes. Relative to global
total river fluxes, the Amazon and Pará Rivers combined contribute 21%
of dissolved Cu and 18% of dissolved Ni during the high discharge
season, but account for comparatively low fractions of Mn, Fe, Co and
Zn. These data quantify, for the first time, the trace metal output from
the world’s largest and 5th largest river into the
Atlantic Ocean, filling a critical gap in knowledge of this
globally-important region.