Abstract
Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) re-release from sediment is an essential process in the sediment-water interface (SWI), especially for the influent river estuary as an important accumulation site. In this study, the diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT), high-resolution dialysis (HR-peeper) technique, and BCR sequential extraction were employed to evaluate the release risk of PTEs (As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd) in the New Zhuzhao River Estuary of Nansi Lake. Results showed that Cd existed primarily in the non-residual fraction (accounting for 59.87%), and the residual fractions of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn accounted for a greater proportion (12.65 to 33.07%). The mobility of Cd was the highest with a risk assessment code of 33.53% reaching the medium risk category. The resupply capacity calculated by CDGT/CDis showed that As was the largest, with an average value of 0.43, indicating the strongest release capacity of As from the sediment to pore water. Furthermore, the diffusive fluxes using DGT and HR-peeper showed that As possesses a much higher potential to release upward overlying water than other elements.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.
References
Arsic, M., Teasdale, P. R., Welsh, D. T., Johnston, S. G., Burton, E. D., Hockmann, K., & Bennett, W. W. (2018). Diffusive gradients in thin films reveals differences in antimony and arsenic mobility in a contaminated wetland sediment during an oxic-anoxic transition. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(3), 1118–1127. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b03882
Cai, Y., Wang, B., Pan, F., Fu, Y., Guo, W., Guo, Z., & Liu, H. (2022). Effects of manganese, iron and sulfur geochemistry on arsenic migration in the estuarine sediment of a small river in Xiamen, Southeast China. Environmental Pollution, 293, 118570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118570
Cao, Q., Song, Y., Zhang, Y., Wang, R., & Liu, J. (2017). Risk analysis on heavy metal contamination in sediments of rivers flowing into Nansi Lake. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(35), 26910–26918. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4655-8
Cao, X., Shao, Y., Deng, W., Wang, H., & Wang, S. (2014). Spatial distribution and potential ecologic risk assessment of heavy metals in the sediments of the Nansi Lake in China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 186(12), 8845–8856. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-4048-3
Che, F., Chen, J., Zhang, B., Jiang, X., & Wang, S. (2020). Distribution, risk and bioavailability of metals in sediments of Lake Yamdrok Basin on the Tibetan Plateau, China. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 97, 169–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2020.04.036
Chen, M., Ding, S., Li, C., Tang, Y., Fan, X., Xu, H., Tsang, D. C. W., & Zhang, C. (2021). High cadmium pollution from sediments in a eutrophic lake caused by dissolved organic matter complexation and reduction of manganese oxide. Water Research, 190, 116711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116711
Chen, X. L., Xu, Y. M., & Lau, A. T. Y. (2022). Toxic metals in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity: Demons or angels? Cancer Cell International, 22(1), 237. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02638-3
Chen, X., Xia, X., Zhao, Y., & Zhang, P. (2010). Heavy metal concentrations in roadside soils and correlation with urban traffic in Beijing, China. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 181(1–3), 640–646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.05.060
Cheng, H., Hu, Y., Luo, J., Xu, B., & Zhao, J. (2009). Geochemical processes controlling fate and transport of arsenic in acid mine drainage (AMD) and natural systems. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 165(1–3), 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.10.070
Ding, S., Han, C., Wang, Y., Yao, L., Wang, Y., Xu, D., Sun, Q., Williams, P. N., & Zhang, C. (2015). In situ, high-resolution imaging of labile phosphorus in sediments of a large eutrophic lake. Water Research, 74, 100–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.02.008
Ding, S., Sun, Q., Xu, D., Jia, F., He, X., & Zhang, C. (2012). High-resolution simultaneous measurements of dissolved reactive phosphorus and dissolved sulfide: The first observation of their simultaneous release in sediments. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(15), 8297–8304. https://doi.org/10.1021/es301134h
Duran, I., Sanchez-Marin, P., & Beiras, R. (2012). Dependence of Cu, Pb and Zn remobilization on physicochemical properties of marine sediments. Marine Environmental Research, 77, 43–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2012.02.001
Gao, L., Gao, B., Xu, D., & Liu, L. (2020). DGT: A promising technology for in-situ measurement of metal speciation in the environment. Science of the Total Environment, 715, 136810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136810
Gao, L., Gao, B., Zhou, H., Xu, D., Wang, Q., & Yin, S. (2016). Assessing the remobilization of antimony in sediments by DGT: A case study in a tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir. Environmental Pollution, 214, 600–607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.04.030
Gao, Y., Baeyens, W., De Galan, S., Poffijn, A., & Leermakers, M. (2010). Mobility of radium and trace metals in sediments of the Winterbeek: Application of sequential extraction and DGT techniques. Environmental Pollution, 158(7), 2439–2445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.03.022
Gaulier, C., Zhou, C., Gao, Y., Guo, W., Reichstadter, M., Ma, T., Baeyens, W., & Billon, G. (2021). Investigation on trace metal speciation and distribution in the Scheldt estuary. Science of the Total Environment, 757, 143827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143827
Gaulier, C., Zhou, C., Guo, W., Bratkic, A., Superville, P. J., Billon, G., Baeyens, W., & Gao, Y. (2019). Trace metal speciation in North Sea coastal waters. Science of the Total Environment, 692, 701–712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.314
Guo, H., Yang, L., Han, X., Dai, J., Pang, X., Ren, M., & Zhang, W. (2019). Distribution characteristics of heavy metals in surface soils from the western area of Nansi Lake, China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 191(5), 262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7390-7
Guo, S., Zhang, Y., Xiao, J., Zhang, Q., Ling, J., Chang, B., & Zhao, G. (2021). Assessment of heavy metal content, distribution, and sources in Nansi Lake sediments, China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(24), 30929–30942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12729-9
Harper, M. P., Davison, W., Zhang, Hao., & Tych, W. (1998). Kinetics of metal exchange between solids and solutions in sediments and soils interpreted from DGT measured fluxes. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 62, 2757–2770. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(98)00186-0
Harper, M. P., Davison, W., & Tych, W. (2000). DIFS—A modelling and simulation tool for DGT induced trace metal remobilisation in sediments and soils. Environmental Modelling & Software, 15(1), 2757–2770. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-8152(99)00027-4
Humphries, B., Wang, Z., & Yang, C. (2016). The role of microRNAs in metal carcinogen-induced cell malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 98(Pt A), 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2016.02.012
Jin, Z., Ding, S., Sun, Q., Gao, S., Fu, Z., Gong, M., Lin, J., Wang, D., & Wang, Y. (2019). High resolution spatiotemporal sampling as a tool for comprehensive assessment of zinc mobility and pollution in sediments of a eutrophic lake. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 364, 182–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.09.067
Kovarikova, V., Docekalova, H., Docekal, B., & Podborska, M. (2007). Use of the diffusive gradients in thin films technique (DGT) with various diffusive gels for characterization of sewage sludge-contaminated soils. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 389(7–8), 2303–2311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-007-1628-x
Lei, K., Han, X., Zhao, J., Qiao, F., Li, Z., & Yu, T. (2016). Characterization of metal kinetics and bioavailability using diffusive gradients in thin films technique in sediments of Taihu Lake, China. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 128, 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.02.019
Liang, G., Zhang, B., Lin, M., Wu, S., Hou, H., Zhang, J., Qian, G., Huang, X., & Zhou, J. (2017). Evaluation of heavy metal mobilization in creek sediment: Influence of RAC values and ambient environmental factors. Science of the Total Environment, 607–608, 1339–1347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.238
Liu, B., Luo, J., Jiang, S., Wang, Y., Li, Y., Zhang, X., & Zhou, S. (2021). Geochemical fractionation, bioavailability, and potential risk of heavy metals in sediments of the largest influent river into Chaohu Lake, China. Environmental Pollution, 290, 118018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118018
Liu, J. J., Diao, Z. H., Xu, X. R., & Xie, Q. (2019). Effects of dissolved oxygen, salinity, nitrogen and phosphorus on the release of heavy metals from coastal sediments. Science of the Total Environment, 666, 894–901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.288
Liu, W., Lu, G., & Wang, W. X. (2022). In situ high-resolution two-dimensional profiles of redox sensitive metal mobility in sediment-water interface and porewater from estuarine sediments. Science of the Total Environment, 820, 153034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153034
Lourino-Cabana, B., Lesven, L., Billon, G,. Denis, L,., Ouddane, B,. & Boughriet, A. (2012). Benthic exchange of sedimentary metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn) in the Deûle River (Northern France). Environmental Chemistry, 9(5). https://doi.org/10.1071/en12046
Ma, X., Li, C., Yang, L., Ding, S., Zhang, M., Zhang, Y., & Zhao, T. (2020). Evaluating the mobility and labile of As and Sb using diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) in the sediments of Nansi Lake, China. Science of the Total Environment, 713, 136569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136569
Maiz, I., Arambarri, I., Garcia, R., & Millan, E. (2000). Evaluation of heavy metal availability in polluted soils by two sequential extraction procedures using factor analysis. Environmental Pollution, 110, 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(99)00287-0
Martínez-López. S,. Martínez-Sánchez. M. J,. del Carmen Gomez-Martinez. M,. Pérez-Sirvent, C. (2020). Arsenic zoning in a coastal area of the Mediterranean Sea as a base for management and recovery of areas contaminated by old mining activities. Applied Clay Science, 199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2020.105881
Menezes-Blackburn, D., Zhang, H., Stutter, M., Giles, C. D., Darch, T., George, T. S., Shand, C., Lumsdon, D., Blackwell, M., Wearing, C., Cooper, P., Wendler, R., Brown, L., & Haygarth, P. M. (2016). A holistic approach to understanding the desorption of phosphorus in soils. Environmental Science & Technology, 50(7), 3371–3381. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b05395
Pan, F., Liu, H., Guo, Z., Cai, Y., Fu, Y., Wu, J., Wang, B., & Gao, A. (2019). Metal/metalloid and phosphorus characteristics in porewater associated with manganese geochemistry: A case study in the Jiulong River Estuary, China. Environmental Pollution, 255(Pt 1), 113134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113134
Pradit, S., Gao, Y., Faiboon, A., De Galan, S., Baeyens, W., & Leermakers, M. (2013). Application of DET (diffusive equilibrium in thin films) and DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) techniques in the study of the mobility of sediment-bound metals in the outer section of Songkhla Lake, Southern Thailand. Environmental Monitoring Assessment, 185(5), 4207–4220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2862-z
Rauret, G., Lo´pez-Sa´nchez, J. F., Sahuquillo, A., Rubio, R., Davidson, C., Ureb, A., & Quevauvillerc, P. (1999). Improvement of the BCR three step sequential extraction procedure prior to the certification of new sediment and soil reference materials. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 1, 57–61.
Roulier, J. L., Belaud, S., & Coquery, M. (2010). Comparison of dynamic mobilization of Co, Cd and Pb in sediments using DGT and metal mobility assessed by sequential extraction. Chemosphere, 79(8), 839–843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.02.056
Song, Z., Song, G., Tang, W., Yan, D., Han, M., & Shan, B. (2020). Determining cadmium bioavailability in sediment profiles using diffusive gradients in thin films. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 91, 160–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2020.01.025
Sun, H., Gao, B., Gao, L., Xu, D., & Sun, K. (2018). Assessing Cu remobilization in reservoir riparian soils prior to water impoundment using DGT and geochemical fractionation. Geoderma, 327, 55–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.04.018
Tang, W., Duan, S., Shan, B., Zhang, H., Zhang, W., Zhao, Y., & Zhang, C. (2016). Concentrations, diffusive fluxes and toxicity of heavy metals in pore water of the Fuyang River, Haihe Basin. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 127, 80–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.01.013
Tessier, A., Campbell, P. G. C., & Bisson, M. (1979). Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate trace metals. Analytical Chemistry, 51(7), 844–851.
Turetta, C., Capodaglio, G., Cairns, W., Rabar, S., & Cescon, P. (2005). Benthic fluxes of trace metals in the lagoon of Venice. Microchemical Journal, 79(1–2), 149–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2004.06.003
Ullman, W. J., & Sandstrom, M. W. (1987). Dissolved nutrient fluxes from the nearshore sediments of Bowling Green Bay, central Great Barrier Reef Lagoon (Australia). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 24(3), 289–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-7714(87)90051-5
Vicente-Martorell, J. J., Galindo-Riano, M. D., Garcia-Vargas, M., & Granado-Castro, M. D. (2009). Bioavailability of heavy metals monitoring water, sediments and fish species from a polluted estuary. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 162(2–3), 823–836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.05.106
Wang, D., Gong, M., Li, Y., Xu, L., Wang, Y., Jing, R., Ding, S., & Zhang, C. (2016). In situ, high-resolution profiles of labile metals in sediments of Lake Taihu. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(9), 884. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13090884
Wang, L.-F., Yang, L.-Y., Kong, L.-H., Li, S., Zhu, J.-R., & Wang, Y.-Q. (2014). Spatial distribution, source identification and pollution assessment of metal content in the surface sediments of Nansi Lake, China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 140, 87–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.02.008
Wang, S., Wang, Y., Zhang, R., Wang, W., Xu, D., Guo, J., Li, P., & Yu, K. (2015a). Historical levels of heavy metals reconstructed from sedimentary record in the Hejiang River, located in a typical mining region of Southern China. Science of the Total Environment, 532, 645–654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.06.035
Wang, W., Wang, S., Chen, J., Jiang, X., & Zheng, B. (2019). Combined use of diffusive gradients in thin film, high-resolution dialysis technique and traditional methods to assess pollution and bioavailability of sediment metals of lake wetlands in Taihu Lake Basin. Science of the Total Environment, 671, 28–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.053
Wang, W., & Wang, W. X. (2017). Trace metal behavior in sediments of Jiulong River Estuary and implication for benthic exchange fluxes. Environmental Pollution, 225, 598–609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.03.028
Wang, Y., Yang, L., Kong, L., Liu, E., Wang, L., & Zhu, J. (2015b). Spatial distribution, ecological risk assessment and source identification for heavy metals in surface sediments from Dongping Lake, Shandong, East China. CATENA, 125, 200–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2014.10.023
Xu, D., Gao, B., Gao, L., Zhou, H., Zhao, X., & Yin, S. (2016). Characteristics of cadmium remobilization in tributary sediments in Three Gorges Reservoir using chemical sequential extraction and DGT technology. Environmental Pollution, 218, 1094–1101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.062
Yang, C., Tong, L., Liu, X., Tan, Q., & Liu, H. (2019). High-resolution imaging of phosphorus mobilization and iron redox cycling in sediments from Honghu Lake, China. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 19(11), 3856–3865. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-019-02342-2
Yang, L., Wang, L., Wang, Y., & Zhang, W. (2015). Geochemical speciation and pollution assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments from Nansi Lake, China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187(5), 261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4480-z
Yin, H., Cai, Y., Duan, H., Gao, J., & Fan, C. (2014). Use of DGT and conventional methods to predict sediment metal bioavailability to a field inhabitant freshwater snail (Bellamya aeruginosa) from Chinese eutrophic lakes. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 264, 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2013.11.030
Yu, J., Chen, Q., Zhang, J., Zhong, J., Fan, C., Hu, L., Shi, W., Yu, W., & Zhang, Y. (2019). In situ simulation of thin-layer dredging effects on sediment metal release across the sediment-water interface. Science of the Total Environment, 658, 501–509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.226
Yu, L., Wang, X., Guo, S., & Dong, D. (2006). Cu and Zn adsorption onto non-residual and residual components in the natural surface coatings samples (NSCSs) in the Songhua River, China. Environmental Pollution, 143(2), 221–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2005.11.032
Zhang, H., Davison, W., Miller, S., & Tych, W. (1995). In situ high resolution measurements of fluxes of Ni, Cu, Fe, and Mn and concentrations of Zn and Cd in porewaters by DGT. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 59(20), 4181–4192. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(95)00293-9
Zhang, H., Wang, Q., Xu, Q., Xu, W., Yang, S., Liu, X., & Ma, L. Q. (2021a). Sequential fractionation and plant uptake of As, Cu, and Zn in a contaminated riparian wetland. Environmental Pollution, 268(Pt B), 115734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115734
Zhang, L., Ni, Z., Li, J., Shang, B., Wu, Y., Lin, J., & Huang, X. (2022). Characteristics of nutrients and heavy metals and potential influence of their benthic fluxes in the Pearl River Estuary, South China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 179, 113685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113685
Zhang, M., Li, C., Yang, L., Ding, S., Ma, X., Zhang, Y., & Zhao, T. (2020a). Application of DGT/DIFS combined with BCR to assess the mobility and release risk of heavy metals in the sediments of Nansi Lake, China. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 42(11), 3765–3778. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-020-00638-8
Zhang, T., Li, L., Xu, F., Chen, X., Du, L., & Li, Y. (2020b). Assessing the environmental risk, fractions, and remobilization of copper and zinc in the sediments of the Jialing River-an important tributary of the Yangtze River in China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27(31), 39283–39296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09963-y
Zhang, W., Sun, G., Yin, R., Feng, X., Yao, Z., Xuewu, Fu., & Shang, L. (2021b). Separation of methylmercury from biological samples for stable isotopic analysis. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 36(11), 2415–2422. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1ja00236h
Zhou, C., Gaulier, C., Luo, M., Guo, W., Baeyens, W., & Gao, Y. (2020). Fine scale measurements in Belgian coastal sediments reveal different mobilization mechanisms for cationic trace metals and oxyanions. Environment International, 145, 106140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106140
Zhu, X., Shan, B., Tang, W., Li, S., & Rong, N. (2016). Distributions, fluxes, and toxicities of heavy metals in sediment pore water from tributaries of the Ziya River system, northern China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(6), 5516–5526. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5709-7
Funding
This work has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 42177385).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, X., Yang, L., Liu, E. et al. Evaluating the release risk of potentially toxic elements from sediments in the New Zhuzhao River Estuary of Nansi Lake, using high-resolution technology and sequential extraction. Environ Monit Assess 195, 353 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10832-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10832-z