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Accumulation and source of heavy metals in sediment of a reservoir near an industrial park of northwest China

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Abstract

The accumulation and source of heavy metals As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in the surface sediment of a reservoir near an industrial park of northwest China were determined by enrichment factor and multi-variate statistical analysis. Multivariate statistical analyses, i.e., factor analysis, cluster analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis, were used to identify the possible sources of the heavy metals. The results show that the mean concentrations of As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in the reservoir sediment are higher than their corresponding concentrations in the control sample, indicating all analyzed heavy metals accumulated in the surface sediments. The values of the mean concentrations of heavy metals in the surface sediment divided by their corresponding concentrations in the control sample increase in the order of Ba = Cr<Co = Pb<V<Ni<Cu = Zn<As<Mn. The enrichment factor values of Ba and Cr in the surface sediment samples are<2, revealing minimal enrichment, while the enrichment factor values of As, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn are in the range of 2‒5, displaying moderate enrichment. Combining the results of correlation coefficient analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis, three main sources of these heavy metals were identified. As, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and V have mixed sources of natural and industrial sources and local consumption residues; Pb and Zn mainly originate from industrial activities, while Ba and Cr primarily originate from natural sources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Tourism and Environment, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, 710062, China

    Yuanjie Zhu, Xinwei Lu, Linna Yang & Lijun Wang

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  1. Yuanjie Zhu
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  2. Xinwei Lu
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  3. Linna Yang
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  4. Lijun Wang
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Correspondence to Xinwei Lu.

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Zhu, Y., Lu, X., Yang, L. et al. Accumulation and source of heavy metals in sediment of a reservoir near an industrial park of northwest China. Front. Earth Sci. 10, 707–716 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-016-0560-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-016-0560-9

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