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Anthropogenic pollution and variability of manganese in alluvial sediments of the Yellow River, Ningxia, northwest China

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Abstract

Heavy metal pollution of sediments is a global concern and can be a serious problem in heavily industrialized parts of the world. Pollution by manganese is particularly common due to its ubiquitous natural occurrence, ease of mobilization, and extensive association with industry. In Ningxia, China, manganese pollution of Yellow River alluvial sediments was assessed by comparing manganese concentrations in 35 sediment samples with background values derived from similar sediments obtained at sites considered remote from potential sources of contamination. Natural background values of manganese were found to range from 192 to 323 mg/kg for surface sediments, and from 220 to 325 and 283 to 394 mg/kg for subsurface sediments at depths of 45–50 and 95–100 cm, respectively. In the study area, manganese content ranged from 565 to 1,363 mg/kg, indicating anthropogenic pollution extending to a depth of at least 1 m in the study area. All 35 samples were found to exceed the threshold effect concentration (TEC) of 460 mg/kg, below which adverse effects on sediment-dwelling organisms are not expected to occur, and one sample (T12) was found to exceed the probable effect concentration (PEC) of 1,100 mg/kg. PEC defines the threshold above which adverse effects are likely to be observed. Variogram analysis of the surface sediment manganese data revealed adherence to a Gaussian model, and ordinary kriging was used to generate a manganese distribution map. Analysis of the high nugget effect ratio indicates high, small-scale variations that are consistent with potential emissions from an adjacent electrolytic manganese plant.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the Doctor Postgraduate Technical Project of Chang’an University (2013G5290002 and CHD2011ZY022), the Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Central Colleges (CHD2011ZY020 and CHD2012TD003), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41172212). Two anonymous reviewers are sincerely acknowledged for their valuable comments on the original version of this paper.

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  1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Peiyue Li, Hui Qian, Jianhua Wu & Xinsheng Lyu

  2. Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region, Ministry of Education, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Peiyue Li, Hui Qian, Jianhua Wu & Xinsheng Lyu

  3. Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, M1C 1A4, Canada

    Ken W. F. Howard

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Li, P., Qian, H., Howard, K.W.F. et al. Anthropogenic pollution and variability of manganese in alluvial sediments of the Yellow River, Ningxia, northwest China. Environ Monit Assess 186, 1385–1398 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3461-3

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