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Speciation and distribution characteristics of heavy metals and pollution assessments in the sediments of Nashina Lake, Heilongjiang, China

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Abstract

Sediment core samples from Nashina Lake, Heilongjiang, China were collected using a gravity sampler. The cores were sliced horizontally at 1 cm each to determine the particle size, total concentrations and speciation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Total concentrations of heavy metals were extracted using an acid mixture (containing hydro fluoric acid, nitric acid, and sulphuric acid) and analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. A sequential extraction procedure was employed to separate chemical species. Analysis of results indicate that the concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments of Nashina Lake in descending order are Mn, Cr, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Cd. The ratios of the average concentrations of four heavy metals (e.g.Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn) to their background values were >1; and those of Mn, Cd, and Pb were >1. Moreover, some toxic metals were mainly distributed in bioavailable fractions. For instance, both Cd and Mn were typically found in Acid-extractable species or Fe–Mn oxide species, and thus can be easily remobilized and enter the food chain. Finally, the analysis of geo-accumulation index showed that anthropogenic pollution levels of Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn were low, but those of Pb and Cd were at the moderate level. As both Pb and Cd are toxic metals, it is highly necessary to prohibit their transformation and accumulation in the sediments.

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Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by the key National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41030743), the Science and Technology Innovative Programs Foundation of Higher Education of Heilongjiang Province of China (No. 2010td10), the key Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province of China (No. ZD201308), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41171322).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Monitoring of Geographic Environment, College of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Normal University, No.1 South Shida Road, Limin Economic Development Zone, Harbin, 150025, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Miao Li, Shuying Zang, Haifeng Xiao & Changshan Wu

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  1. Miao Li
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  2. Shuying Zang
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  3. Haifeng Xiao
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Correspondence to Shuying Zang.

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Li, M., Zang, S., Xiao, H. et al. Speciation and distribution characteristics of heavy metals and pollution assessments in the sediments of Nashina Lake, Heilongjiang, China. Ecotoxicology 23, 681–688 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-014-1180-3

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