Suspended Sediments Quality Assessment in a Coastal River: Identification of Potentially Toxic Elements

Abstract

In coastal rivers with various human and damming activities (reservoir), the cycle and biogeochemistry of environmental pollutants in river systems has been modified. A total of 42 suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples were obtained in Jiulongjiang River, southeast China to investigate the concentration, sources, behavior, and risks of nine potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in SPM. The results of metals concentration showed relatively large variation, major for Mn and minor for Co; Mn > Zn > V > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cu > Cd > Co. Multi-index evaluation reflected that most of the PTEs are minor enrichment/moderately polluted. The Cd is defined as extremely severe enrichment/polluted level, and the Pb and Zn as minor enrichment/moderately polluted levels. Among the selected PTEs, Cd and Zn are identified as the main toxic factors of SPM with a contribution of 57 ± 18% and 14 ± 7% to the total toxic risk. The sources identification suggested that human inputs may be the primary potential source of Cd, Zn, Pb, and Co, whereas natural sources (e.g., rock weathering) are likely to be responsible for Cu, Cr, V, and Ni. In contrast, the data suggested that Mn may be attributed to both natural and anthropogenic inputs. The PTEs among dissolved, suspended, and sediment phases reflected the transportation behavior and different potential risk levels. Overall, the PTE geochemistry of river SPM can act as a good indicator of the driving mechanism of PTEs’ accumulation and provide a powerful support for controlling riverine PTEs-related pollution in coastal regions.

Evaluation of Some Heavy Metals, Their Fate and Transportation in Water, Sediment, and Some Biota within AL-Musayyib River, Babylon Governorate, Iraq

“…33 . Organic substances, Cr salts, chloride ions, sulfides, sulfates, and nitrogen are present in untreated tannery effluent 34 .…”

Structural Diversity of Bacterial Communities and Its Relation to Environmental Factors in the Surface Sediments from Main Stream of Qingshui River

“…Sediments, an important part of river ecosystems, are the "sinks" of land-based pollutants in the river basin, and also the "source" and "sinks" of river water pollution [1][2][3]. River microbes (including bacteria, fungi and archaea) play an important role in nutrient transformation and cycles in river sediments, formation and decomposition of organic matter, and circulation and energy flow in rivers, as well as various other ecological processes [4,5].…”