title: Heavy metals distribution and environmental quality assessment for sediments off the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, China.
abstract: A systematic study was conducted on the distribution characteristics of heavy metals and on associated influencing factors in sediments off the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, China, based on the results of a heavy metals analysis on 157 surface sediment samples from coastal waters of the study area and on 46 samples from surrounding rivers flowing into the sea. An environmental quality assessment of heavy metals was performed using the Nemerow index. The results show that the distribution characteristics of sediment heavy metals in coastal waters outside of Qingdao can be divided into three classes: (1) Class I - Cr, Cu and Zn, with high-value areas extending from the northeast to the southwest in a banded or tongue-like pattern; (2) Class II - As, Cd and Pb, with high-value areas mainly distributed off the southeastern coast of Mt. Lao; and (3) Class III - Hg only, with high-value areas mainly in the northern area of Jiaozhou Bay. Integrated assessment based on the Nemerow index reveals that heavy metals pollution has occurred in surface sediments in a number of coastal water areas outside of Qingdao. This pollution is mainly found off the southeastern coast of Mt. Lao and in the northeastern section of Jiaozhou Bay. Results show that grain size of surface sediments, surrounding rivers and human activities are the main reasons for the element distribution pattern.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environment Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Geo-engineering investigation institute of Xiamen, China, 192 West Lianqian Road, Xiamen 361008, PR China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environment Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China. Electronic address: qimgzy@163.com.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environment Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China.
authors.forename: Shipu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environment Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environment Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Shijiazhuang University of Economics, China, 136 East Huaian Road, Shijiazhuang 050031, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environment Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Geophysical Exploration Academy of China Metallurgical Geology Bureau, China, 139 North Yangguang Street, Baoding 071051, PR China.
authors.forename: Manman
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environment Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China, 62 South Fuzhou Road, Qingdao 266071, PR China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Environmental assessment; Heavy metals; Sediment; The southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula