Copper and zinc, but not other priority toxic metals, pose risks to native aquatic species in a large urban lake in Eastern China.
Over the past 20 years, global production of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) rank in the top three compared to other metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, As and Hg. However, due to the potential for exposure and toxicity to humans, more attention of environmental pollution was paid to other metals such as Cd and Hg. Aquatic organisms are sensitive to Cu and Zn. Even though internal concentrations of these required elements are homeostatically controlled, toxic effects can occur at the fish gill surface. In this work, concentrations in surface waters and toxic effects of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd, As, Hg were determined and risk of various metals in Tai Lake, China were evaluated using both risk quotients and joint probability distributions. Two transition metals, Cu and Zn posed the greatest risks to aquatic organisms while measured concentrations of other metals were less than thresholds for adverse effects. Approximately 99.9% and 50.7% of the aquatic organisms were predicted to be affected by Cu and Zn in surface water of Tai Lake respectively. Our results highlight ecological risks of Cu and Zn in water of a typical, large, urban lake in Eastern China, which was ignored in the past.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
Zhiyou
Z
Fu
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. Electronic address: wufengchang@vip.skleg.cn.
Fengchang
F
Wu
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
Lulu
L
Chen
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
Bingbing
B
Xu
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
Chenglian
C
Feng
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
Yingchen
Y
Bai
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
Haiqing
H
Liao
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, 999, Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031, China.
Siyang
S
Sun
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Department of Biomedical Veterinary Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5B3, Canada.
John P
JP
Giesy
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100012, China.
Wenjing
W
Guo
D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D003300:Copper / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004463:Ecology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D005880:Gills / Q000737:chemistry; D000075322:Heavy Metal Poisoning; D006801:Humans; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D011041:Poisoning / Q000209:etiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D015032:Zinc / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc
Aquatic species; Ecological risk; Joint probability method; Metal; Tai Lake; Water