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Distribution and partitioning of heavy metals in sediments of the X injiang River in P oyang Lake Region, C hina
Author(s) -
Ji Yong,
Zhang Jie,
Li Ronghui,
Pan Baozhu,
Zhang Liwei,
Chen Xing
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
environmental progress and sustainable energy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.495
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1944-7450
pISSN - 1944-7442
DOI - 10.1002/ep.12054
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , contamination , environmental science , metal , pollutant , upstream and downstream (dna) , enrichment factor , extraction (chemistry) , terrigenous sediment , sediment , chemistry , heavy metals , geology , ecology , upstream (networking) , biology , geomorphology , organic chemistry , computer network , chromatography , computer science
Total metal concentrations were determined in top and historically subhorizon contaminated sediments collected from four sampling areas (Upstream (UP), Yongping Mining Area Stream (YP), Guixi Mining Area Stream (GX), and Downstream (DM)). The sediments were analyzed for Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, As, and Ni using a sequential extraction scheme by Tessier. The results showed that the maximum values of Cu, Zn, and Pb were in top and subhorizon sediments collected from the YP areas, while the DM areas had the highest concentrations of Cd, Cr, As, and Ni. The majority of metal values were higher than the corresponding background values and were increasingly prevalent with the following order: Ni < Cr < Pb < Zn < Cd < As < Cu. Geoaccumulation Index indicated that the contamination degree ranged from uncontaminated to strongly contaminated. The comparison of total metal concentrations in top and subhorizon sediments at depth showed a large difference in the risk to biota. When metal partitioning characteristics were also considered, over 60% of metals were potentially bioavailable and likely toxic. By means of Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, a total number of four groups were distinguished from 16 sampling sites. Sediments from different sampling sites showed an apparent trend for grouping sites, which might be attributed to the various originations of heavy metals and the disturbance from human activities. Factor analysis results revealed two sources of pollutants, which can be explained by two factors: (i) mixed origin or retention phenomena of industrial emissions and (ii) terrigenous. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 34: 713–723, 2015