Spatial Distribution and Pollution Assessment of Heavy Metals in River Sediments from Lake Taihu Basin

• Published in: Huanjing kexue Vol. 40; no. 5; p. 2202
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jie, Guo, Xi-Ya, Zeng, Ye, Deng, Jian-Cai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 08.05.2019
• Subjects: Lake Taihu Basin; source identification; heavy metals; sediment; pollution assessment
• ISSN: 0250-3301
• DOI: 10.13227/j.hjkx.201809168

To clarify the pollution characteristics of heavy metals in the surface sediments of rivers in economically developed areas, analysis of the contents of eight heavy metals, assessment of ecological risks, and identification of the source of heavy metals in surface sediments from typical rivers of Lake Taihu Basin were carried out in this study. The results showed that the average contents of Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, As, Cd, and Hg in the surface sediments of Lake Taihu Basin were 163.62, 102.46, 45.50, 44.71, 37.00, 13.34, 0.479, and 0.109 mg·kg , respectively. Except for Hg, the average contents of other 7 heavy metals were higher than their background values. The geo-accumulation index indicated that Pb, Ni, Zn, Cu, and Cd amount to a low pollution state. According to the pollution load index, Pb, Ni, Zn, and Cu represent a moderately polluted state, while Cd, Cr, and As a low degree pollution state. Based on the potential ecological risk index, Cd and Hg represent moderate potential ecological risk, and the oth