Author(s): Zhirui Zhang; Shuguang Liu; Sha Lou; Guihui Zhong; Xiaosheng Zhou; Feng Zhou; Larisa Dorzhievna Radnaeva; Elena Nikitina; Irina Viktorovna Fedorova
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Abstract: The existence of heavy metal pollution in estuaries presents a potential hazard to both the aquatic environment and public health. The complexity of the estuarine water environment hampers the comprehension of pollution. Field observations were carried out in September 2022 at seven sampling sites in the coastal area of the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE). Water and surface sediment samples were collected for the analysis of the total concentrations of seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn). The heavy metal concentrations in water samples ranked from highest to lowest were Zn>As>Cu>Cr>Pb>Cd, whereas in surface sediment samples, the order was Zn>Cr>As>Pb>Cu>Cd. The levels of heavy metals in the water were low, and no pollution was detected. The risks associated with heavy metals in surface sediments were assessed using the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk index (RI). Among the six heavy metals, Cd was found to have a high level of pollution, and it remained the primary contributor to potential ecological risks. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to elucidate the sources of various heavy metals. As mainly originated from anthropogenic emissions, while Cd originated from atmospheric deposition. The results presented in this paper emphasized the pollution caused by Cd in the coastal area of the YRE. The analysis of heavy metal concentrations in water and surface sediments provides valuable data for environmental impact assessments, aiding in the development of effective pollution control and management strategies.
Year: 2024