Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in suspended matter and sediments from the Schelde Estuary

The C/N and stable C and N isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N) of sedimentary and suspended particulate matter were determined in the Schelde Estuary. Suspended matter was divided into 2 to 5 size fractions by centrifugation. Four major pools of organic matter were recognized: riverine, estuarine, marine and terrestrial materials. Terrestrial organic matter (δ13C≈−26‰, δ15N≈3.5‰, C/N≈21) is important for the sedimentary pool, but suspended matter is dominated by the marine (δ13C≈−18‰, δ15N≈9‰, C/N≈8), riverine (δ13C≈−30‰, δ15N≈9‰, C/N≈7.5) and estuarine (δ13C≈−29‰, δ15N≈15‰, C/N≈8) end-members. In the upper estuary, the suspended matter size fractions vary systematically in their carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry, with the small particles having low C/N ratios, depleted δ13C and enriched δ15N values relative to large particles. Moreover, sedimentary and suspended matter differ significantly in terms of C/N ratios (17 vs. 8.9), δ13C (−26.3 vs. −28.9‰) and δ15N (+6.9 vs. 12.0‰). In the lower estuary, suspended matter fractions are similar and sedimentary and suspended organic matter differ only in terms of δ13C (−23.5 vs. −20.1‰). Our data indicate that autochthonous organic matter contributes significantly to the total suspended matter and that the suspended organic matter composition cannot be explained in terms of conservative mixing of riverine and terrestrial sources on the one hand and marine sources on the other hand.