Comprehensive assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediment of the Pearl River Estuary and adjacent shelf.
Total metal concentrations (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb), acid volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals (AVS-SEM), and heavy metal fractionation were used to assess the heavy metals contamination status and ecological risk in the sediments of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and adjacent shelf. Elevated concentrations at estuarine sites and lower concentrations at adjacent shelf sites are observed, especially for Cu and Zn. Within the PRE, the concentration of heavy metals in the western shore was mostly higher than that in the middle shore. The metals from anthropogenic sources mainly occur in the labile fraction and may be taken up by organisms as the environmental parameters change. A combination of total metal concentrations, metal contamination index and sequential extraction analysis is necessary to get the comprehensive information on the baseline, anthropogenic discharge and bioavailability of heavy metals.
Pearl River Delta Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
Yongqiang
Y
Yang
Fanrong
F
Chen
Ling
L
Zhang
Jinsong
J
Liu
Shijun
S
Wu
Mingliang
M
Kang
D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical