Tidal circulation, sediment and pollutant transport in Cadiz Bay (SW Spain): A modelling study

A numerical model to simulate the dispersion of particle-reactive tracers in Cadiz Bay (SW Spain) has been developed. It includes a hydrodynamic submodel to provide water currents, a sediment transport submodel, which provides suspended matter concentrations and sedimentation rates and the pollutant dispersion model. Pollutant exchanges between the liquid and solid phases are described in a dynamic way, using kinetic transfer coefficients. Results of the hydrodynamic and sediment transport models have been compared with observations. The contamination of sediments of the bay by fallout Cs-137 has been simulated. The existence of an accumulation area in the inner bay, found in field measurements, has been reproduced by the model. Dispersion experiments for Zn and Ra-226 have also been carried out. Flushing-times of the inner bay have been finally determined through numerical experiments. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.