Abstract
The Bohai Sea is a semi-enclosed sea affected by intense industrial and maritime activities which may lead to heavy metal contamination. The major objective of this study was to reveal the distribution, and assess the potential risk of heavy metals in the sediments of the central Bohai Sea (CBS). Eight metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn, and Co) in sediments obtained at 29 sites in summer and winter, 2011 were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The pollution assessments were carried out with three methods including marine sediment quality, the geoaccumulation index and Hakanson potential ecological risk index. Results showed that higher concentrations of heavy metals (except for Mn) were generally found in the northwest of the CBS, near the Luanhe Estuary, and higher concentrations of Mn were found in the north of the CBS. The distribution of heavy metals was mainly affected by contents of total organic carbon and clay percentage in sediment. In terms of pollution assessment, Cd was the major pollutant in the CBS. The CBS was moderately contaminated in summer and uncontaminated in winter. The most contaminated zone was near the Luanhe Estuary, and anthropogenic sources from the Luanhe Estuary might be the main contributor. The results of three assessment methods were similar. Hakanson potential ecological risk index is more useful for the risk assessment of trace metals as it considers both potential ecological risks and biological effects. The combination of several pollution assessment methods is suggested in practice to obtain comprehensive and accurate results.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bastami KD, Bagheri H, Kheirabadi V, Zaferani GG, Teymori MB, Hamzehpoor A et al (2014) Distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments along southeast coast of the Caspian Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 81:262–267. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.01.029
Bodur MN, Ergin M (1994) Geochemical characteristics of the recent sediments from the Sea of Marmara. Chem Geol 115:73–101. doi:10.1016/0009-2541(94)90146-5
Caçador I, Vale C, Catarino F (1993) Effects of plants on the accumulation of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in sediments of the Tagus Estuary salt marshes, Portugal. Stud Environ Sci 55:355–364. doi:10.1016/s0166-1116(08)70300-5
Dang HY, Zhou HX, Zhang ZN, Yu ZS, Hua E, Liu XS et al (2013) Molecular detection of Candidatus Scalinduapacifica and environmental responses of sediment anammox bacterial community in the Bohai Sea, China. PloS One 8:e61330. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061330
El Bilali L, Rasmussen PE, Hall GEM, Fortin D (2002) Role of sediment composition in trace metal distribution in lake sediments. Appl Geochem 17:1171–1181. doi:10.1016/s0883-2927(01)00132-9
Facchinelli A, Sacchi E, Mallen L (2001) Multivariate statistical and GIS-based approach to identify heavy metal sources in soils. Environ Pollut 114:313–324. doi:10.1016/s0269-7491(00)00243-8
Fang TH, Li JY, Feng HM, Chen HY (2009) Distribution and contamination of trace metals in surface sediments of the East China Sea. Mar Environ Res 68:178–187. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2009.06.005
Feng H, Jiang HY, Gao WS, Weinstein MP, Zhang QF, Zhang WG et al (2011) Metal contamination in sediments of the western Bohai Bay and adjacent estuaries, China. J Environ Manage 92:1185–1197. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.11.020
Gao XL, Chen CTA (2012) Heavy metal pollution status in surface sediments of the coastal Bohai Bay. Water Res 46:1901–1911. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.007
Gao XL, Zhou FX, Chen CTA (2014) Pollution status of the Bohai Sea: an overview of the environmental quality assessment related trace metals. Environ Int 62:12–30. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2013.09.019
Ghrefat HA, Abu-Rukah Y, Rosen MA (2011) Application of geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor for assessing metal contamination in the sediments of Kafrain Dam, Jordan. Environ Monit Assess 178:95–109. doi:10.1007/s10661-010-1675-1
Hakanson L (1980) An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution-control—a sedimentological approach. Water Res 14:975–1001. doi:10.1016/0043-1354(80)90143-8
He ZP, Song JM, Zhang NX, Zhang P, Xu YY (2009) Variation characteristics and ecological risk of heavy metals in the south Yellow Sea surface sediments. Environ Monit Assess 157:515–528. doi:10.1007/s10661-008-0552-7
Hu NJ, Shi XF, Liu JH, Huang P, Yang G, Liu YG (2011) Distributions and Impacts of Heavy Metals in the Surface Sediments of the Laizhou Bay. Adv Mar Sci 29:63–72 (in Chinese)
Hu BQ, Li J, Zhao JT, Yang J, Bai FL, Dou YG (2013) Heavy metal in surface sediments of the Liaodong Bay, Bohai Sea: distribution, contamination, and sources. Environ Monit Assess 185:5071–5083. doi:10.1007/s10661-012-2926-0
Huang LL, Pu XM, Pan JF, Wang B (2013) Heavy metal pollution status in surface sediments of Swan Lake lagoon and Rongcheng Bay in the northern Yellow Sea. Chemosphere 93:1957–1964. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.06.080
Jiang X, Teng AK, Xu WZ, Liu XS (2014) Distribution and pollution assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments in the Yellow Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 83:366–375. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.020
Kiratli N, Ergin M (1996) Partitioning of heavy metals in surface Black Sea sediments. Appl Geochem 11:775–788. doi:10.1016/s0883-2927(96)00037-6
Li SY, Miao FM, Liu GX, Hao J (1995) The primary study on the background values of heavy metals in sediments of the Bohai Sea. Acta Oceanol Sini 17:78–85 (in Chinese)
Li XY, Liu LJ, Wang YG, Luo GP, Chen X, Yang XL et al (2012) Integrated assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediments from a coastal industrial basin NE China. PloS one 7:e39690. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039690
Liang LN, He B, Jiang GB, Chen DY, Yao ZW (2004) Evaluation of mollusks as biomonitors to investigate heavy metal contaminations along the Chinese Bohai Sea. Sci Total Environ 324:105–113. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2003.10.021
Liu JG, Diamond J (2005) China’s environment in a globalizing world. Nature 435:1179–1186. doi:10.1038/4351179a
Meng W, Qin YW, Zheng BH, Zhang L (2008) Heavy metal pollution in Tianjin Bohai Bay, China. J Environ Sci 20:814–819. doi:10.1016/s1001-0742(08)62131-2
Mudroch A, Azcue JM, Mudroch P (1997) Manual of physico-chemical analysis of aquatic sediments. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Müller G (1969) Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the Rhine River. GeoJournal 2:108–118
Pekey H (2006) The distribution and sources of heavy metals in Izmit Bay surface sediments affected by a polluted stream. Mar Pollut Bull 52:1197–1208. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2006.02.012
Qiao YM, Yang Y, Gu JG, Zhao JG (2013) Distribution and geochemical speciation of heavy metals in sediments from coastal area suffered rapid urbanization, a case study of Shantou Bay, China. Mar Pollut Bull 68:140–146. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.12.003
Rubio B, Nombela MA, Vilas F (2000) Geochemistry of major and trace elements in sediments of the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain):an assessment of metal pollution. Mar Pollut Bull 40:968–980. doi:10.1016/s0025-326x(00)00039-4
Shafie NA, Aris AZ, Zakaria MP, Haris H, Lim WY, Isa NM (2013) Application of geoaccumulation index and enrichment factors on the assessment of heavy metal pollution in the sediments. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng 48:182–190. doi:10.1080/10934529.2012.717810
Shepard FP (1954) Nomenclature based on sand-silt-clay ratios. J Sed Petrol 24:151–158
SOA (2007) The specification for marine monitoring-part 5: sediment analysis (GB17378.5-2007). Standards Press of China, Beijing
SOA (2012) China marine environmental quality bulletin in 2011. China Oceanic Information Network. http://www.coi.gov.cn/gongbao/huanjing/201207/t20120709_23185.html
SOA (2013) China marine environmental quality bulletin in 2012. China Oceanic Information Network. http://www.coi.gov.cn/gongbao/huanjing/201304/t20130401_26428.html
SOA (2014) China marine environmental quality bulletin in 2013. China Oceanic Information Network. http://www.coi.gov.cn/gongbao/huanjing/201403/t20140325_30717.html
State Oceanic Administration, P.R. of China (SOA) (2002) National standard—marine sediment quality (GB18668-2002). Standards Press of China, Beijing
Teng YG, Tuo XG, Ni SJ, Zhang CJ (2002) Applying geo-accumulation index to assess heavy metal pollution in sediment: influence of different geochemical background. Environ Sci Technol 25:7–10 (in Chinese)
Wang CY, Wang XL (2007) Spatial distribution of dissolved Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu and As in the Bohai Sea. J Environ Sci 19:1061–1066. doi:10.1016/s1001-0742(07)60173-9
Wang J, Chen S, Xia T (2010) Environmental risk assessment of heavy metals in Bohai Sea, North China. Procedia Environ Sci 2:1632–1642. doi:10.1016/j.proenv.2010.10.174
Wartel M, Skiker M, Auger Y, Boughriet A (1990) Interaction of manganese(II) with carbonates in seawater: assessment of the solubility product of MnCO3 and Mn distribution coefficient between the liquid phase and CaCO3 particles. Mar Chem 29:99–117. doi:10.1016/0304-4203(90)90008-z
WHO (1989) Toxicological evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants. IPCS Inchem Home. http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v024je01.htm
Wu JY, Li YF (1985) Environment geochemistry of some heavy metals in the sediments of Bohai Bay: I. The distribution pattern of heavy metals in the sediments and their background values. Oceanologia Et Limnologia Sini 16:92–102 (in Chinese)
Xu ZQ, Ni SJ, Tuo XG, Zhang CJ (2008) Calculation of heavy metals’ toxicity coefficient in the evaluation of potential ecological risk index. Environ Sci Technol 31:112–115. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1003-6504.2008.02.030
Xu L, Wang TY, Ni K, Liu SJ, Wang P, Xie SW et al (2013) Metals contamination along the watershed and estuarine areas of southern Bohai Sea, China. Mar Pollut Bull 74:453–463. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.06.010
Xu L, Wang TY, Ni K, Liu SJ, Wang P, Xie SW et al (2014) Ecological Risk Assessment of Arsenic and Metals in Surface Sediments from Estuarine and Coastal Areas of the Southern Bohai Sea, China. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 20:388–401. doi:10.1080/10807039.2012.762281
Yuan HM, Song JM, Li XG, Li N, Duan LQ (2012) Distribution and contamination of heavy metals in surface sediments of the South Yellow Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 64:2151–2159. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.07.040
Zhan SF, Peng ST, Liu CG, Chang Q, Xu J (2010) Spatial and temporal variations of heavy metals in surface sediments in Bohai Bay, North China. B Environ Contam Tox 84:482–487. doi:10.1007/s00128-010-9971-6
Zhang LJ, Wang G, Yao D, Duan GZ (2003a) Environmental significance and research of heavy metals in offshore sediments. Mar Ecol Lett 19:6–9. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-2722.2003.03.002 (in Chinese)
Zhang SM, Yan L, Wu JG (2003b) Inorganic chemistry, 3rd edn. Lanzhou University Press, Lanzhou
Zheng N, Wang QC, Liang ZZ, Zheng DM (2008) Characterization of heavy metal concentrations in the sediments of three freshwater rivers in Huludao City, Northeast China. Environ Pollut 154:135–142. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2008.01.001
Acknowledgements
This study was jointly funded by the Scientific Research Award Foundation for Outstanding Middle-aged and Young Scientists of Shandong Province (No. BS2013HZ008), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (No. 41576135) and the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities of the Ministry of Education of China (201013002, 201462008). We are grateful to ‘‘NSFC Open Cruises for Bohai and Yellow Seas Marine Scientific Research’’ and crew members of the vessel ‘‘Dongfanghong II’’. Profs. Richard M. Warwick and Hans-U. Dahms are greatly thanked for their critical comments and English improvement on this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, X., Jiang, X., Liu, Q. et al. Distribution and pollution assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments in the central Bohai Sea, China: a case study. Environ Earth Sci 75, 364 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-5200-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-5200-2