Sources, transport and sinks of beryllium in a coastal landscape affected by acidic soils

Beryllium (Be) sources, transport and sinks were studied in a coastal landscape where acidic soils (acid sulfate soils) have developed after drainage of fine-grained sulfide-bearing sediments. The study included the determination of total abundance and speciation of Be in a variety of solid and aqueous materials in both the terrestrial and estuarine parts of the landscape. A major feature was that despite normal (background) Be concentration in the sulfide-bearing sediments, the Be leaching from these sediments after O₂-exposure and acid sulfate soil development were extensive, with concentrations up to 76 μg L⁻¹ in soil water, 39 μg L⁻¹ in runoff and 12 μg L⁻¹ in low-order streams. These high Be concentrations were mainly in the solution form (i.e., passing a 1 kilodalton filter) and modelled to be dominated by free Be²⁺. The extensive Be release within, and leaching from the acid sulfate soils was …