Abstract
the classical heavy metals. In general, elevated mass fractions of Zn, Ge, In, La, Sm, and Gd along the Rhine indicate significant anthropogenic input. Thus, the findings and data of this study represent a good starting point to improve our understanding of the behavior of TCEs in complex river systems such as the Rhine. Furthermore, the data contribute to a better understanding of potential TCE sources in the North Sea, as the Rhine is an important main tributary to the North Sea, contributing significantly to the mass transport of suspended sediments as well as pollutants to coastal regions. This work demonstrates, the potential of ICP-MS/MS to analyze poorly studied analytes such as TCEs and thus to gain initial insights into their occurrence and fate within the environment. Secondly, the results of the studies indicate the potential negative impact of TCEs on the environment, which can be identified by analytical methods such as ICPMS/ MS in combination with multivariate statistics.
