ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Details are given herein of the limitations of numerical hydroenvironmental models in predicting faecal indicator and trace metal fluxes in near-shore coastal systems. Laboratory and empirical field investigations to improve on the predictive capabilities of such models for bacteria and trace metals are outlined, including developing relationships between: (i) bacterial decay, turbidity and suspended sediment levels, (ii) adsorption and desorption kinetics for bacteria, and (iii) partitioning coefficients and salinity effects on trace metal adsorption/desorption with sediments. The resulting laboratory and field study findings were applied to two U.K. case studies for bacteria and trace metals respectively, namely the Severn and Mersey estuaries. The new data provided by field and laboratory studies enabled refinements to numerical models, which led to improvements in model predictive performance.
