Distribution Characteristics and Potential Ecological Risk Assessments and Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments and Water Body of the Yalu River Estuary China

Abstract

Surface sediments and water body of the Yalu River estuary were monitored to evaluate the spatial distribution and the enrichment condition of heavy metals: As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb and Zn. Surface sediment samples and water samples were collected from 5 stations, at seven month intervals from May 2012 to November 2012. The correlation of the heavy metals in the surface sediments and the water body was analyzed by using Pearson method. And the method of potential ecological risk index presented by Hakanson was used to evaluate the potential ecological risk of heavy metal pollution in the Yalu River estuary. The results showed that, the order of heavy metals spatial fluctuation degree was Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > total As > Cd > total Hg, the fluctuation degree of total contents of heavy metals was A1 > A3 > A2 ≈ A4 > A5. The evaluation of potential ecological risk showed that, total Hg reflected considerate ecological risk, total As and Cd reflected moderate ecological risk, and the rest of the heavy metals posed a low ecological risk.