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Release of contaminants and nutrients from sediments: exposure and effects

Any component that occurs in pore water of soils or sediments can be studied, since pore water is isolated from the system without disturbing the steady state. This includes nutrients, organic contaminants, and heavy metals.

SOFIE® has found uses in many types of studies:

• Inundation / flooding experiments;
• Exposure tests with terrestrial and aquatic organisms;
• Bioturbation and contaminant displacement;
• Fluxes of nutrients to/from sediment and surface water;
• Simulation of long-term sediment storage in pits;
• (Geo)chemical oxidation and ripening of drained sediments;

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Chironomus (midge) at water-sediment interface

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Bioaccumulation studies with Tubifex (left) and Chironimus (right) show that uptake is primarily via the free dissolved phase

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Redox gradients over water-sediment

affect the bioavailability of compounds