Abstract
To investigate the characteristics and potential sources of heavy metals pollution, surface sediments collected from Bohai Bay, North China, were analyzed for the selected metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn). The Geoaccumulation Index was used to assess the level of heavy metal pollution. Pb isotopic compositions in sediments were also measured to effectively identify the potential Pb sources. The results showed that the average concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 0.15, 79.73, 28.70, 36.56, 25.63, and 72.83 mg/kg, respectively. The mean concentrations of the studied metals were slightly higher than the background values. However, the heavy metals concentrations in surface sediments in Bohai Bay were below the other important bays or estuaries in China. The assessment by Geoaccumulation Index indicated that Cr, Zn, and Cd were classified as “the unpolluted” level, while Ni, Cu, and Pb were ranked as “unpolluted to moderately polluted” level. The order of pollution level of heavy metals was: Pb > Ni > Cu > Cr > Zn > Cd. The Pb isotopic ratios in surface sediments varied from 1.159 to 1.185 for 206Pb/207Pb and from 2.456 to 2.482 for 208Pb/207Pb. Compared with Pb isotopic radios in other sources, Pb contaminations in the surface sediments of Bohai Bay may be controlled by the mix process of coal combustion, aerosol particles deposition, and natural sources.
Highlights
Bohai Bay is a semienclosed bay located in the western region of the Bohai Sea and is one of the four major compositions in Bohai Sea, North China
In the sediments from the Bohai Bay, the mean concentrations of the studied metals were slightly higher than the background values [12]
The comparison between 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb ratios in sediments and other environmental samples showed that the 206Pb/207Pb ratios in surface sediments collected from Bohai Bay were obviously higher than those from the emission of vehicle exhaust and Pb ores mining, indicating that these two anthropogenic inputs were not important factors for Pb pollution in sediments (Figure 3)
Summary
Bohai Bay is a semienclosed bay located in the western region of the Bohai Sea and is one of the four major compositions in Bohai Sea, North China. It covers an area of 1.60 × 104 km with a population of about 70 million. All the wastewater through rivers and channels drains into the near-shore waters of Bohai Bay directly. This process produced a certain degree of heavy metal pollution for ocean environment [1]. Recent studies have proved that the Pb stable isotopic signatures were a useful tool to effectively identify various sources of Pb pollution in water environment [4,5,6]
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