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Assessment of nutrient and heavy metal contamination in surface sediments of the Xiashan stream, eastern Guangdong Province, China

  • Sediment Environment, Pollution and Remediation
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Abstract

In this study, nutrient and heavy metal contamination in surface sediments of the Xiashan stream were investigated. Determining pollution degree of nutrient and heavy metal were the main objectives of this investigation. For this reason, the concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), seven heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Hg), and metalloid (As) were analyzed at 55 sampling sites. The mean TN concentration in surface sediments was 5.007 g/kg, while the mean TP concentration was 0.385 g/kg. Based on the sediment quality guideline (SQGs) and background values of Chinese soil and sediment, the majority of the mean TN concentrations in surface sediments were higher than their background values, while the TP concentrations were different from those observed for TN. For heavy metal concentrations in surface sediments, most of sampling stations were higher than their background values. The mean geo-accumulation (Igeo) indices for heavy metals were ranked as follows: Cd > Hg > Cu > Zn > Pb > Ni > Cr > As. The potential ecological risk index (RI) indicated heavy metal contamination level in Xiashan stream was very high ecological risk. According to Igeo and RI values, heavy metals especially Cd and Hg are influenced significantly by anthropogenic activities. Cd and Hg are not only as pollutant but also considerable contributor to ecological risk. Multivariate statistical investigations showed that there is a significant and positive correlation between Pb, As, and Cd. Cu, Ni, and Cr have similar characteristic and therefore probably originated from the same sources. Suggested by the results, it is necessary to control nitrogen and heavy metal contamination caused by human activities in the study area.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China (2019B110205003), Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (Grant number SKLEC-KF201613), Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (2017ZX07301006004), Environmental Protection Foundation of Guangdong (PM-zx555-201809-198).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Key Laboratory of Water Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Water and Air Pollution Control, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, No. 18 Ruihe Road, Guangzhou, 510530, China

    Weijie Li, Shu Lin, Wencai Wang, Zhiwei Huang, Hailong Zeng, Xianglin Chen & Zhongya Fan

  2. The State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Zhongya Fan

  3. Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

    Zhongya Fan

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  1. Weijie Li
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  2. Shu Lin
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  4. Zhiwei Huang
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Correspondence to Zhongya Fan.

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Li, W., Lin, S., Wang, W. et al. Assessment of nutrient and heavy metal contamination in surface sediments of the Xiashan stream, eastern Guangdong Province, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 25908–25924 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06912-2

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