Changes in chemical fractions and ecological risk prediction of heavy metals in estuarine sediments of Chunfeng Lake estuary, China

Bo Huang; Zhaohui Guo; Xiyuan Xiao; Peng Zeng; Chi Peng

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.015

Changes in chemical fractions and ecological risk prediction of heavy metals in estuarine sediments of Chunfeng Lake estuary, China

Mar Pollut Bull. 2019 Jan:138:575-583. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.015. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Authors

Bo Huang¹, Zhaohui Guo², Xiyuan Xiao², Peng Zeng², Chi Peng³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People's Republic of China; Yueyang Environmental Monitoring Centre, Yueyang 414000, People's Republic of China.
² Institute of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People's Republic of China.
³ Institute of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: chipeng@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 30660308
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.015

Abstract

The changes of available forms of heavy metals would affect their corresponding ecological risks in sediments. The distribution of chemical fractions of heavy metals in sediment profiles from Chunfeng Lake estuary was investigated and then a prediction model for potential ecological risk index (PMRI) was proposed to forecast the changes of ecological risks caused by the aging process of metals in sediments. The results show that the estuarine sediments were polluted by As and Cd. The proportions of available metals were generally decreased with depth, while those of the residual forms showed an opposite trend. The aging rates of Cd and As were found to be 0.21 and 0.12%/year, respectively. The PMRI model showed that the total ecological risk of metals in sediments decreased from moderate to low risk level (<150) after 25 years, while cadmium would need 47 years in contrast to the 15 years for As.

Keywords: Aging; Cadmium; Dongting Lake; Regression analysis; Risk prediction; Sediment profile.

MeSH terms

Arsenic / analysis
Cadmium / analysis
China
Ecotoxicology / methods
Environmental Monitoring
Estuaries
Geologic Sediments / analysis*
Lakes
Metals, Heavy / analysis*
Metals, Heavy / toxicity
Risk Assessment
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Cadmium
Arsenic