Abstract
Distribution of heavy metals (Hg, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cr) in the seawater and sediments were studied based on data from two oceanographic surveys carried out in Liaodong Bay in May and October 2016. The results showed that the values of heavy metals in seawater represent a uniform distribution, while no trends were detected for spatial distribution. High values of heavy metals in sediment were generally distributed nearshore areas in October. Concentrations of Pb, Zn, Hg in seawater were higher than the national guideline values of Mar. sediment quality of China. Values of Cu, Zn, Cd and Hg were higher than the national guideline values of Mar. sediment quality of China in October, while quality was in good condition in May. Correlation analysis showed that TOC was mainly contributed for the variations of heavy metals. The potential ecological risk analysis of heavy metals indicates that Hg, Cd and Cu should be listed as the priority contaminant metals in Liaodong Bay.
Highlights
Liaodong Bay, in the northeast part of the Bohai Sea, is a semi-enclosed bay
Heavy metals can be part of the sediments during the adsorption process, and since the sediments are only slightly affected by hydrological factors, it’s easy for heavy metals to store up in the sediments and pollute the benthic environment [4,5]
In terms of the heavy metal pollution in the Liaodong Bay, a series of researches and studies have been carried out, and through which people have a certain understanding of the heavy metal pollution in this area [6,7,8,9]
Summary
Liaodong Bay, in the northeast part of the Bohai Sea, is a semi-enclosed bay. Along with the development of urban economy in the areas surrounding the Liaodong Bay, there are increasing amounts of pollutants day by day, and the circulation of such pollutants into the waters of Liaodong Bay through rivers, atmospheric deposition, waterway transportation and other approaches has caused potential harm to the ecological environment of the Liaodong Bay [1]. In terms of the heavy metal pollution in the Liaodong Bay, a series of researches and studies have been carried out, and through which people have a certain understanding of the heavy metal pollution in this area [6,7,8,9]. Some scholars discover that concentration of heavy metal pollutants in the rivers flowing from the Liaodong Bay to the Haihe River is much higher than that in the coastal sea areas, and mercury and lead - the heavy metals in the sediments are of medium and high ecological risk [12]. After long-term monitoring and analysis, some scholars find that terrestrial input plays a major role in studying the changes of heavy metal content in Mar. sediments [13]
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