Multivariate analysis of heavy metal contaminations in seawater and sediments from a heavily industrialized harbor in Southern Taiwan.
Heavy metal pollution, including chromium, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, copper, lead, and aluminum, in the largest industrial harbor in southern Taiwan was investigated. Increasing metal contamination was observed by monitoring heavy metal concentrations in seawater and sediments and estimating the enrichment factors, particularly those inside the harbor. Compared to other metal-polluted harbors worldwide, the presence of chromium in the sediments was relatively high. Excluding the background contribution, the harbor area was polluted by outflows from river mouths, wastewater discharging pipes, and point sources near industrial activities within the harbor. It is shown by principal component and cluster analyses that metal contamination was affected by a wide range of different and complex contamination mechanisms inside and outside the harbor, suggesting managing the pollution using straightforward strategies, i.e., solutions that only consider a single source or single pathway of metal emissions, is problematic.
Super Micro Mass Research and Technology Center, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Electrical Engineering, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan, ROC.
Yung-Chang
YC
Lin
Guo-Ping
GP
Chang-Chien
Pen-Chi
PC
Chiang
Wei-Hsiang
WH
Chen
Yuan-Chung
YC
Lin
D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D013624:Taiwan; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Enrichment factor; Heavy metals; Principal component analysis; Seawater; Sediment