title: Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Red River surface sediments, Vietnam.
abstract: Surface sediment samples were collected from upstream down to the subaqueous delta of the Red River in Vietnam to assess heavy metal pollution. Sediment Cr and V concentrations are strongly correlated with Al, Fe, Mn and total organic carbon concentrations, as well as particle size, suggesting that these two metals are derived primarily from natural sources and enriched in the fine fraction of sediments. In contrast, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn concentrations show weaker correlations with particle size, with very high concentrations observed at several sites in the upper reach of the river, pointing to anthropogenic input as a possible source of these heavy metals. Enrichment factors (EF) of Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn suggest that heavy metal pollution is present in sediments with significantly high values in the upstream. The data analysis indicates that Cd, Cu and Pb are the dominant pollutants in the Red River, with their concentrations reaching moderate to serious pollution levels.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Institute of Geography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors: Thi Thu Hien
authors: TT
authors: Nguyen
authors: State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China. Electronic address: wgzhang@sklec.ecnu.edu.cn.
authors: Weiguo
authors: W
authors: Zhang
authors: School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P5C2, Canada.
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Li
authors: Yunnan Institute of Environmental Science, Kunming 650034, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
authors: Can
authors: C
authors: Ge
authors: State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
authors: Jinyan
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
authors: Xuexin
authors: X
authors: Bai
authors: Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, NJ 07043, USA.
authors: Huan
authors: H
authors: Feng
authors: State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
authors: Lizhong
authors: L
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D045483:Rivers; D014744:Vietnam; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Heavy metal pollution; Sediment; The Red River