title: Contamination and distribution of heavy metals, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and alternative halogenated flame retardants in a pristine mangrove.
abstract: Owing to the expanding metal and electronics industries, pollution in the Pearl River Estuary needs special concern. Given the hydrodynamic effect, the pristine mangrove in Qi'ao Island would be contaminated by tidal flushing. Thus, we examined (1) the contamination of pollutants in this mangrove, including heavy metals, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative halogenated flame retardants (AHFRs), and (2) how habitat characteristics and sediment properties affect their distribution. Results showed that the sediment in Qi'ao mangrove had higher concentrations of heavy metals, PBDEs and AHFRs than that in other pristine mangroves, and similar concentrations to those mangroves impacted by point sources. Heavy metal concentrations were lower in the vegetated areas than mudflat, while the opposite was found for PBDEs and AHFRs. The findings imply that tidal flushing was an important pollution source, while mangrove plants have the capacity to minimize the impact of heavy metals, but not PBDEs and AHFRs.
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta <Ministry of Education>, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Qihang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: jonathan_0919@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jonathan Y S
authors.initials: JYS
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Nora F Y
authors.initials: NFY
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering/Research Centre of Wetland Science, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Yisheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: China National Analytical Center (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 510070, China.
authors.forename: Pengran
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta <Ministry of Education>, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta <Ministry of Education>, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Shenyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miao
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D029623:Primulaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D043982:Rhizophoraceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D019216:Metals, Heavy
keywords: Alternative halogenated flame retardant (AHFR); Heavy metal; Mangrove; Pearl River Estuary; Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE); Sediment