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Geoscience ›› 2021, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (05): 1441-1449.DOI: 10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2021.047

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Investigation and Evaluation on Environmental Quality of Heavy Metals in Sediments of the Inland Bay of Shantou City, Guangdong Province

LI Jinzhe1,2(), LIU Ningqiang3, GONG Qingjie3(), LI Chengzhu1   

  1. 1. Guangzhou Waterway Engineering Design Institute Co., Ltd, China Communications Construction, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510230, China
    2. Industry and Technology Service Center,Shantou High-tech Industry Development Zone,Shantou,Guangdong 515041, China
    3. School of Earth Sciences and Resources,China University of Geosciences,Beijing 100083,China
  • Received:2021-03-27 Revised:2021-07-15 Online:2021-10-10 Published:2021-11-04
  • Contact: GONG Qingjie

Abstract:

The environmental quality of sediments in inland bay is closely related to the survival of aquatic organisms and human health. Forty-six samples are collected from surface and deep sediments in 23 locations of cross-gulf in the Inland Bay of Shantou City in Guangdong Province. The pH values, the concentration of 7 heavy metal elements, Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn, and the content of K are analyzed to evaluate the environmental risk of heavy metals in these sediments with reference to soil contamination risk of paddy field in agricultural land. The results show that the pH of sediments in Shantou Inland Bay is between 7.00 and 8.82, with an average value of 7.83. Among 46 samples, 41 samples have pH values greater than 7.5. The contents of 7 heavy metals in the sediments of Inland Bay are obviously lower than their environmental pollution control values, which means there is no need to control the environmental pollution of heavy metals in the sediments. The contents of Cd, As, Pb and Cr are all lower than their screening values of pollution risk, and their pollution risk could be ignored. The concentrations of Hg in 2 surface samples were higher than the screening value of pollution risk, and the contents of Cu and Zn in 18 samples were higher than their screening values of pollution risk. Therefore, it is suggested to monitor the concentrations of Cu, Zn and Hg in these sediments. The content of K is between 0.70% and 2.59%, with an average value of 1.54%. Based on the comparison of elemental contents between surface layer and deep layer sediments it is concluded that the pollution source of Hg in this area should be anthropogenic. However, the pollution sources of Cu and Zn may be anthropogenic or mixed resulted from anthropogenic and natural resources.

Key words: inland bay, sediment, heavy metals, environmental assessment, source analysis

CLC Number: