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Influence of environmental factors on changes in the speciation of Pb and Cr in sediments of Wuliangsuhai Lake, during the ice-covered period

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Abstract

Ecological pollution caused by heavy metals released from sediments is a worldwide concern. However, the effect of changes in sediment speciation on their release of heavy metals has not been adequately reported. In this study, the research focused on Pb and Cr in the ice period of Wuliangsuhai. This study analyzed changes in the sediment speciation of Pb and Cr before and after a release experiment using four risk assessment methods while varying the temperature, pH, and salinity of the water column. The results indicated that the total concentration of Pb ranged from 11.17 to 24.25 mg/kg, while for Cr it ranged from 42.26 to 69.68 mg/kg. Both elements exhibited mild contamination. The release of Pb and Cr from sediments increases with increasing water temperature, mainly due to the conversion of the residual fraction of Pb to the Fe–Mn oxide fraction and Cr converting more residual fraction to the organic matter and sulfide fraction. The release of sediment Pb and Cr decreased with increasing pH, with Pb converting more acid extractable fraction to the residual fraction and Cr converting more organic matter and sulfide fraction to the residual fraction. In contrast, the release of Pb and Cr increased and then decreased with increasing salinity. For Pb, the acid extractable fraction was more susceptible to conversion to the residual fraction by environmental influences, whereas for Cr, the organic matter and sulfide fraction were susceptible to conversion to the residual fraction.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 52060022 and 52260028]; the National Key R&D Program of China [grant numbers 2017YFE0114800 and 2019YFC0409204]. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Plan (2021GG0089).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, 010018, China

    Yunxi Zhao, Shengnan Zhao, Xiaohong Shi, Junping Lu, Zhimou Cui, Haifeng Yu, Bowen Ye & Xingyue Li

  2. Inner Mongolia Water Resource Protection and Utilization Key Laboratory, Hohhot, 010018, China

    Shengnan Zhao, Xiaohong Shi & Junping Lu

  3. State Gauge and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystem, Wuliangsuhai Lake, Inner Mongolia, Bayannur, 014404, China

    Xiaohong Shi

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  1. Yunxi Zhao
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  5. Zhimou Cui
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  6. Haifeng Yu
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Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by YZ. The first draft of the manuscript was written by YZ and SZ, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Shengnan Zhao.

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Zhao, Y., Zhao, S., Shi, X. et al. Influence of environmental factors on changes in the speciation of Pb and Cr in sediments of Wuliangsuhai Lake, during the ice-covered period. Environ Geochem Health 46, 116 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-023-01842-y

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