title: Distribution and contamination assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments of the Luanhe River Estuary, northwest of the Bohai Sea.
abstract: 33 surface sediment samples from the Luanhe River Estuary have been analyzed for heavy metals to evaluate the spatial distribution pattern and their potential ecological risk. Higher metal concentrations were found in the river mouth and southern areas where being covered by fine particulate matters. In comparison with the threshold effect level and the probable effect level, Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni, and As had occasionally adverse biological effects on the aquatic ecosystems. Both the enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index values show that all the regions have been weakly polluted by Pb, Hg, As, and Cd with an exception of being moderately to strongly polluted by Hg in the river mouth and southern areas. The sources of Zn, Ni, Cd, Hg, and Cr were mainly from the river input and coastal discharge, whereas Cu, Pb, and As were mainly derived from vehicle emissions, coal and oil combustion.
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Jinqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: pingyin@fio.org.cn.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Hongying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Meina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Contamination assessment; Heavy metals; Luanhe River Estuary; Sediment quality