Characterization and composition of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants in water and estuarine sediments from Gao-ping River, Taiwan.
The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations and possible sources of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in water and estuarine sediments from Gao-ping River in order to evaluate the environmental quality of aquatic system in southern Taiwan. High concentrations of heavy metals including Cr, Zn, Ni, Cu and As, ranging from 10.7 to 180 mg/kg-dry weight (dw), were detected in sediments from Gao-ping River. When normalized to the principal component analysis (PCA), swinery and electroplating wastewaters were found to be the most important pollution sources for heavy metals. Of various organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues detected, aldrin and total-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) were frequently found in sediments. The total concentrations of OCPs were in the range 0.47-47.4 ng/g-dw. Also, the total-HCH, total-cyclodiene, and total-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were in the range 0.37-36.3, 0.21-19.0, and 0.44-1.88 ng/g-dw, respectively. The polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in sediments from Gao-ping River ranged between 0.37 and 5.89 ng/g-dw. The PCB concentrations are positively correlated to the organic contents of the sediment particles. alpha-HCH was found to be the dominant compound of HCH in the sediments, showing that long-range transport may be the possible source for the contamination of HCH in sediments from Gao-ping River. In summary, trace amounts of POPs in estuarine sediments from Gao-ping River were detected, showing that there still exist a wide variety of POP residues in the river sediments in Taiwan. These POP residues may be mainly from long-range transport and weathered agricultural soils, while heavy metal contamination is primarily from the swinery and industrial wastewaters.
Doong
Ruey-An
RA
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 101, sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan. radoong@mx.nthu.edu.tw
Lee
Shih-Hui
SH
Lee
Chun-Chee
CC
Sun
Yuh-Chang
YC
Wu
Shian-Chee
SC
D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005843:Geography; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D045483:Rivers; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls