1. Human-influenced changes in pollution status and potential risk of sediment heavy metals in Xincun Bay, a typical lagoon of Hainan, China.
- Author
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Hao, Zhe, Qian, Jian, Zheng, Fangqin, Lin, Bo, Xu, Min, Feng, Weihua, and Zou, Xinqing
- Subjects
ECOLOGICAL risk assessment ,HEAVY metals ,HEAVY metal toxicology ,SEDIMENTS ,COPPER ,LAGOONS ,PRINCIPAL components analysis - Abstract
Pollution status and ecological risks associated with sediment heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cr) were investigated around Xincun Bay, assessing their spatial variations and relationship with sediment physiochemical factors. Higher concentrations and associated risks were observed in the central region, where mariculture activities were concentrated, compared to non-maricultured areas. Despite with overall low concentrations, Cd had a higher ecological risk. Correlation and principal component analyses revealed similar sources for all metals in Xincun Bay. Heavy metal concentrations varied with expansion of mariculture operations in terms of quantity and scale, confirming the influence of mariculture activities. Sediments around mariculture had higher contents of clay, silt, and total organic carbon (TOC), and finer particle sizes. Quantitative analyses through correlation and linear regression indicated that TOC significantly regulated heavy metal concentration and distribution (p < 0.05). Considering its significant association with TOC, the influence of mean grain size should not be overlooked. [Display omitted] • Increased heavy metal pollution is observed near the mariculture area. • At lowest heavy metal contents, cadmium has the highest contamination risk. • TOC may control abundance and distribution of sediment heavy metal pollution. • Heavy metals of lagoon sediments have similar sources. • Mariculture is the primary source of heavy metal pollution in Xincun Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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