210Pb chronology and trace metal geochemistry in the intertidal sediment of Qinjiang River estuary, China

Abstract

Historical records of metal inputs were studied by using a sediment core collected from a sand-rich mudflat in the Qinjiang River estuary, China. 210Pb chronology was used to reconstruct the fluxes of Hg, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr and As to the core site during the last 86 years. Based on the constant initial concentration model, the sedimentation rates are 1.18 cm year−1 in the top 30 cm sandy layer and 0.92 cm year−1 in the muddy bottom layer. To compensate for grain-size and mineralogy effects on metal concentrations, aluminum was used as the normalizing element. The enrichment factors (EF) indicate that the natural inputs had prevailed up to the early 1980s. After this period, the intensity of human activities has resulted in continual increasing trend of metals towards the surface. Recent sediment samples from the Qinjiang River estuary are found moderately enriched by Cd (EF>1.5) and slightly enriched by other metals (EF<1.5). Considering that the drainage area of the Qinjiang River is mostly agricultural land, the increased Cd may be due to the usage of fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural activities and the combustion of fossil fuels.