Metals Associated with Suspended Sediments in Lakes Erie and Ontario, 2000–2002

Sediment traps were deployed in the three major basins of Lake Erie, and the central (Mississauga) basin of Lake Ontario, and refurbished seasonally over the period 2000–2002. In Lake Ontario, sediment down-flux rates and corresponding contaminant down-flux rates were highest in winter during periods of unstratified thermal conditions, and generally increased with depth due to the influence of resuspended bottom sediments during all sampling periods. Lake Ontario suspended sediments exhibited the highest concentrations of metals; concentrations of mercury and lead frequently exceeded guideline values for bottom sediments. Contaminant levels in Lake Ontario suspended sediments were similar to concentrations in bottom sediments in the same area. There was a spatial trend toward higher suspended sediment metals concentrations from the eastern basin to the western basin of Lake Erie, which is similar to the trend in bottom sediment contamination. In the eastern basin of Lake Erie, which is the deepest area of the lake, there was no trend in down-flux rate with depth in 2001; however, down-flux rates increased with depth in 2002. Suspended sediments in the western basin of Lake Erie were determined to be largely resuspended bottom sediments; all western basin samples collected in the study exceeded the guideline value for mercury (0.486 μg/g).