Heavy Metal Distribution in Surface Sediments of the Coastal Pearl Bay, South China Sea

Processes

Changping Yang¹  Liangming Wang²  Dianrong Sun²  Yan Liu²  Gang Yu²  Yingbang Huang²  Binbin Shan² 

[1] Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Healthy and Safe Aquaculture, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China;Key Laboratory of Marine Ranching, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China;

关键词: heavy metals;    surface sediment;    ecological risk assessment;    Pearl Bay;   

DOI  :  10.3390/pr10050822

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Six heavy metals (As, Cu, Cd, Zn, Cr, and Pb) in surface sediments (0–5 cm) from the twenty selected sites of the coastal Pearl Bay (South China Sea) were analyzed to assess the distribution pattern and potential ecological risk. Overall concentrations (mg/kg, dw) in the sediment samples were: As (10.88 ± 6.50), Cu (24.16 ± 18.63), Cd (0.55 ± 0.78), Zn (48.53 ± 30.06), Cr (35.78 ± 28.66), Pb (31.28 ± 18.50). Results showed that the overall mean values of Cd concentrations exceeded the standard of China Marine Sediment Quality, caused by significantly high levels of Cd contents in five sites (S8, S11, S13, S16, and S17) at the offshore area of Pearl Bay. Generally, the metal concentrations showed a decreasing trend from the offshore area to the inner bay. Various index values such as the geo-accumulation index (I_geo), the ecological risk index (E_ri), and the contamination factor (CF) demonstrated that the coastal Pearl Bay was not polluted by the examined metals except for Cd, which might cause contamination and ecological risk in the region. Principal component analysis (PCA) results indicated that Cu, Zn, and Cr might originate from natural sources inland, and Pb and As might come from the gasoline and diesel fuel from engine boats. It is recommended that further research should focus on detecting the acute source and transferring mechanisms of the toxic metal Cd.

【 授权许可】

Unknown