title: Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediment and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in fishes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin.
abstract: The concentrations of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Hg, Cu, Zn, Pb and As) in the water, sediment, and fish were investigated in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Potential ecological risk analysis of sediment heavy metal concentrations indicated that six sites in the middle reach, half of the sites in the lower reach, and two sites in lakes, posed moderate or considerable ecological risk. Health risk analysis of individual heavy metals in fish tissue indicated safe levels for the general population and for fisherman but, in combination, there was a possible risk in terms of total target hazard quotients. Correlation analysis and PCA found that heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn) may be mainly derived from metal processing, electroplating industries, industrial wastewater, and domestic sewage. Hg may also originate from coal combustion. Significant positive correlations between TN and As were observed.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Yujun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shanghong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical