title: Trace metal contamination in surface sediments of intertidal zone from Qinhuangdao, China, revealed by geochemical and magnetic approaches: Distribution, sources, and health risk assessment.
abstract: Based on geochemical and magnetic approaches, the distribution, sources, and health risk of trace metals in surface sediments from a seashore tourist city were investigated. A significant correlation was found between magnetic susceptibility (χ) and trace metals, which suggested that levels of trace metals in the sediments can be effectively depicted by the magnetic approach. The spatial distribution of χ and trace metals matched well with the city layout with relatively higher values being found in the port and busy tourist areas. This result, together with enrichment factors (EFs) and Tomlinson pollution load index (PLI) of metals, suggested that the influence of human activities on the coastal environment was noticeable. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that trace metals in the sediments were derived from both anthropogenic and natural sources. Noncarcinogenic risk assessment showed that there was no potential health risk of exposure to metals by means of ingestion or inhalation.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: zhumin@cug.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zongmin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
authors.forename: Junhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
authors.forename: Yuzhen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
authors.forename: Jiangfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Coastal sediments; Health risk; Magnetic susceptibility; Trace metals