TITLE:
Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediments from Pearl River Networks, South China
AUTHORS:
Jiangang Zhao, Wenping Xie, Qiyuan Zhang, Senhua He, Yingjun Qin, Shangru Lu, Shuheng Zhang, Changpeng Ye
KEYWORDS:
Heavy Metals, Pearl River Networks, Sequential Extraction, Sediments
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.6 No.9,
September
18,
2019
ABSTRACT: Sediment samples collected from 21 sites of the Pearl River networks were investigated by the sequential extraction method. Multiple environmental indices were adopted to evaluate the present and potential risks. Results indicated that concentrations of Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb in most of the sedi-ments were substantially higher than their background values, and the primary sources of the contamination coming from municipal, industrial wastewater discharges and upstream mining were inferred by matrix analysis with comparing special distribution characteristics. Cd was the main factor causing the potential ecological risk in Pearl River networks. The potential mobility of heavy metals was shown in the decreasing order: Cd > Mn > Co > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > As > Cr.