Rising sea levels result in increased rates of coastal erosion in a warming climate. Approximately (4875 km2 of the total wetland area in Louisiana was eroded and it is predicted that another 5000 km2 will be lost soon. Erosion plays a large role in land loss and terrestrial material mixing in coastal zones, potentially releasing sediment, carbon and emerging contaminants that have been buried on geological time scales. The erosion process marks the potential beginning of a positive feedback loop where stored contaminants along coastal zones become mobilized and exposed to photochemical and biological oxidation processes in the water column. It is imperative to understand the molecular-level controls on dissolution, transport, and fate of these materials that are released from coastal soils and sediments. Another source of sediment redistribution and contamination is one of the most polluted rivers in America, the Mississippi River. Dredging and redistribution of sediment is one of the remediation solutions to help reduce land loss. When a major storm occurs, levees overflow into the Mississippi river then into Lake Pontchartrain, and subsequently discharges into the Gulf of Mexico. A few of the major sources of contamination in the Mississippi river are agricultural and industrial runoff. In addition to rainfall during major hurricane and tropical storm events, urban centers in Louisiana like New Orleans and Baton Rouge are defenseless against short-duration, high-intensity, torrential rainfall events. During these flooding events, contaminants from different sources mix and percolate into near-surface soil and groundwater. 

This paper will discuss the sedimentation and re-distribution characteristics of fine-grained sediments of south Louisiana. Effects of flowrate and soil type on fate and transport of emerging contaminants will be deliberated. The long term effects of heavy metals present in near surface soil and water from emerging contaminants, biological activity, and aerosols will be discussed.

Geoenvironmental Characterization of Fine-Grained Coastal Sediments Impacted by Aerosols and Emerging Contaminants

Created in 1999, the Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) is the recognized leader within ASCE for the integration of technical expertise and public policy in the planning, design, construction, and operation of environmentally sound and sustainable infrastructure impacting air, land and water resources.

[Paper Proceedings](https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483466)

Conference DOI: https://doi.org/10.26226/m.6329c39b68fb0e00131f77d2