The chemistry of the Delaware estuary. General considerations1

• DOI: 10.4319/lo.1982.27.6.1015
• Publication Date: 2010-03-28T05:14:25Z
• Authors: Jonathan H. Sharp; Charles H. Culberson; Thomas M. Church
• Keywords: Alkalinity; Saturation (graph theory)

Many properties were measured in the Delaware estuary from freshwater to its mouth (30 ‰ salinity). Distinctive mixing patterns property‐salinity plots illustrate predictable behavior for different parameters. For example, alkalinity always shows an expected positive linear relationship and dissolved organic carbon a negative (indicative of conservative mixing). In contrast, phosphate nonlinear plot suggestive estuarine source, nitrate biochemical reactivity, iron indicative geochemical reactivity. The upper has very high levels nutrients, especially (near 200 µ M), measurable depletion surface water oxygen (equivalent apparent utilization 100–250 g‐atoms O·liter −1 winter summer). However, appear be consistently above 35% saturation are near throughout most estuary. nutrients do not cause algal blooms estuary; instead primary productivity appears maximal lower It is postulated that suspended sediment causes severe light limitation as result moderate sustains year.