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Geochemical baselines of heavy metals in the sediments of two large freshwater lakes in China: implications for contamination character and history

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the geochemical baseline concentrations of various heavy metals in the surface sediments of two large freshwater lakes in Taihu and Dianchi, China, and to assess the character and history of heavy metal contamination around the two lakes. Heavy metal concentrations in the sediments were obtained by field surveys and were supplemented with published data. The statistical methods of cumulative frequency and normalization were employed to obtain the baselines. The respective baseline concentrations for As, Sb, Hg, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were 9.92, 1.67, 0.14, 22.62, 100.56, 31.63, 31.97, 33.05 and 97.01 mg/kg, respectively, in Taihu, and 24.60, 4.29, 0.25, 36.78, 135.68, 90.05, 50.76, 73.56 and 208.76 mg/kg, respectively, in Dianchi. The baseline concentrations of these heavy metals in Lake Taihu were equivalent to the pre-industrial concentrations determined from lakes in Sweden and Europe. Conversely, those in Lake Dianchi were much higher than the pre-industrial values. Li, Fe, Sc, Ti, V and Al were found to be the suitable reference elements for normalization, and one of these elements could be used to predict the baseline concentrations of heavy metals except Hg. Most of the heavy metals had one inflexion, and only Cu and Pb in Taihu, Sb, Pb and Zn in Dianchi, were found to have two inflexions in the cumulative curves, suggesting remarkable anthropogenic inputs of Cu and Pb in Taihu, Sb, Pb and Zn in Dianchi, which are generally consistent with the respective industrial structure around Taihu and Dianchi.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China on “Water Environmental Quality Evolution and Water Quality Criteria in Lakes” (No. 2008CB418201). We thank Mr. Nan Zhang, Dr. Jianyang Guo, Dr. Shaofeng Wang, Dr. Renwei Feng, Ms. Yanming Zhu, Mr. Shuai Fu and Ms. Zhaofeng Ge for their assistance in the field surveys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, Anwai, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China

    Chaoyang Wei & Hailong Wen

  2. School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China

    Hailong Wen

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  1. Chaoyang Wei
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  2. Hailong Wen
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Correspondence to Chaoyang Wei.

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Wei, C., Wen, H. Geochemical baselines of heavy metals in the sediments of two large freshwater lakes in China: implications for contamination character and history. Environ Geochem Health 34, 737–748 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-012-9492-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-012-9492-9

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