The concentrations of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were investigated in water, sediment and biota (aquatic plant, fish and shrimp) of Nansi Lake by an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The lower concentrations of heavy metals in lake water and the higher concentrations of heavy metals in sediment implied that there were low-level, persistent inputs of heavy metals in the Nansi Lake. The concentrations of Cr and Fe in aquatic plants exceeded their corresponding toxic concentrations. The correlations among the concentrations of heavy metals in water, sediment, aquatic plants and animals were lower. The factor analysis and the correlation analysis of different heavy metals in water, sediment and aquatic biota samples showed that most heavy metals had the same source except As. This finding implied that As was of different source compared to the other heavy metals in Nansi Lake. The comparison of heavy metals in different samples from upper lake and lower lake showed that the contamination of heavy metals in upper lake was more serious than that in lower lake. The intensive coal mining and more coal thermal plants were an important reason leading to contamination of heavy metals in Nansi Lake. The heavy metals in aquatic organisms were not accumulated along food web except As and Zn. There was a positive correlation between the accumulation of As and Zn and food web based on bioaccumulation factors value in Nansi Lake. Risk assessment of heavy metals in water, sediment and animals indicated that the water environment of Nansi Lake is safe at present. However, people should pay more attention to the intake of As and Zn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]