Toxic metal pollution in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, China: distribution, controlling factors and potential risk

Cailing Xiao; Huimin Jian; Lufeng Chen; Chang Liu; Huayang Gao; Chuansong Zhang; Shengkang Liang; Yanbin Li

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.027

Toxic metal pollution in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, China: distribution, controlling factors and potential risk

Mar Pollut Bull. 2017 Jun 15;119(1):381-389. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.027. Epub 2017 Mar 20.

Authors

Cailing Xiao¹, Huimin Jian², Lufeng Chen³, Chang Liu¹, Huayang Gao¹, Chuansong Zhang¹, Shengkang Liang⁴, Yanbin Li⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
² Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
³ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. Electronic address: liyanbin@ouc.edu.cn.

PMID: 28336206
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.027

Abstract

The Bohai Sea (BS) and Yellow Sea (YS), which are adjacent to the most urbanized and industrialized areas in China, are facing a variety of environmental problems. Two cruises were conducted to investigate the pollution status of toxic metals in BS and YS sediments. They generally presented a decreasing trend from near shore to offshore. In addition, two high concentration areas were observed in the central south YS and north of the Shandong Peninsula. The results of multiple regression analyses suggest that Hg is mainly controlled by anthropogenic loading, whereas for Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, sediment properties, especially the Fe oxides content, play a more important role. For As and Cd, the contribution of anthropogenic loading and sediment properties are comparable. The risk assessment indicates that Hg, As, Cd and Ni should be listed as the primary contaminant metals in the BS and YS.

Keywords: Anthropogenic loading; Bohai Sea; Risk assessment; Toxic metals; Yellow Sea.

MeSH terms

China
Environmental Monitoring
Geologic Sediments
Metals, Heavy / analysis*
Risk
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Water Pollutants, Chemical