Heavy metal transport and dispersal by maintenance dredging - a study of the River Tees and the Inner Disposal Site

The annual quantity of dredged material released into the coastal waters of the UK is in the order of 50 million tonnes per year. This quantity of material has the potential for considerable effect on the environment. The objective of the study was to monitor the concentration of metals in the bed sediments of the River Tees dredged channel and the associated disposal site and surrounding area, and to draw conclusion on whether or not the metals become dispersed after disposal in the coastal environment.