title: Speciation and risk of heavy metals in sediments and human health implications of heavy metals in edible nekton in Beibu Gulf, China: A case study of Qinzhou Bay.
abstract: We investigated the total concentrations of heavy metals in surface sediments and nekton, along with sediment metal chemical partitioning in Qinzhou Bay of the Beibu Gulf. Cd was preferentially associated with the acid-soluble fraction and Pb mainly with the reducible fraction, whereas a major portion of Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn was strongly associated with the residual fractions. A principal component analysis (PCA) in sediment metal speciation revealed three groupings (Cd; Pb; Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn) that mainly resulted from different distributions of the metals in the various fractions. The Cr concentrations in nekton species were higher than maximum Cr concentrations permitted by the Chinese National Standard (GB 2762-2012). Taking as a whole, surface sediments of Qinzhou Bay had a 21% incidence calculation of adverse biological effects, based on the mean probable-effects-levels quotient. A human health risk assessment indicated no significant adverse health effects from consumption of nekton.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510300, China; Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Development and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510300, China; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China. Electronic address: hydrobio@163.com.
authors.forename: Yang-Guang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510300, China; Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Development and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510300, China; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China. Electronic address: fishenvironment@163.com.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510300, China; Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Development and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510300, China; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Ling
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510300, China; Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Development and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510300, China; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Nuo
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510300, China; Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Development and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510300, China; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510300, China; Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Development and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510300, China; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China.
authors.forename: Jia-Jia
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ning
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D017747:Seafood; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Chemical speciation; Ecological risk; Human health risk; Metals; Nekton; Sediment analysis