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Multivariate analysis of heavy metals in surface sediments from lower reaches of the Xiangjiang River, southern China

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Abstract

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) in 16 samples collected from the lower reach (Changsha–Xiangtan–Zhuzhou section) of the Xiangjiang River in southern China were determined by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (HR-ICPMS). Multivariate analysis, such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis, coupled with correlation coefficient analysis, was used to analyze the analytical data and to identify possible pollution sources of heavy metals. The results showed that the eight studied heavy metals accumulated in the sediments from the lower Xiangjiang River, especially Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd, which were 2.0–2.6, 1.7–2.6, 3.5–3.8, 3.2–3.6 and 189.5–152.8 times the soil trace element background for Hunan Province and UCC background values, respectively. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis, coupled with correlation coefficient analysis, revealed that the sediments from lower Xiangjiang River were mainly influenced by two sources: Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb mainly originated from industrial sources, whereas Mn was derived from both industrial and natural sources, but mainly from natural sources due to weathering and erosion.

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Acknowledgments

The authors sincerely thank the anonymous reviewers and the editor for their thorough reviews and constructive suggestions which significantly improved the manuscript. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 40901012, 41271228) and National Science and Technology Support Program of China (No: 2010BAK67B02) and the crucial special project: National Water Pollution Control and Management Science (2009ZX07104-004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Marine Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China

    Longjiang Mao & Qiang Fu

  2. College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Duowen Mo & Yuanyuan Guo

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Jinghong Yang

  4. School of Management, North University for Nationalities, Yinchuan, 750021, China

    Yaofeng Jia

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  1. Longjiang Mao
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  2. Duowen Mo
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  3. Yuanyuan Guo
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  4. Qiang Fu
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Correspondence to Longjiang Mao.

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Mao, L., Mo, D., Guo, Y. et al. Multivariate analysis of heavy metals in surface sediments from lower reaches of the Xiangjiang River, southern China. Environ Earth Sci 69, 765–771 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1959-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1959-6

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