Environmental exposure and ecological risk of heavy metals in fishing harbors of the Pearl River Delta, South China
Keywords:
coastal environment, marine environment, antifouling paint, sedimentAbstract
Fishing harbors are widely distributed in coastal regions in China. However, few studies about pollution by heavy metals in those fishing harbors have been reported. In this study, a total of 49 surface sediment samples were collected from nine harbors along the coastline of China to illuminate heavy metals pollution and their potential ecological risk. Results indicated that Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd are four main elements causing pollution with high concentrations detected in the selected harbors. These four metals from three harbors located in the Pearl River Delta are remarkably higher than those in other regions. The main finding of the study is that Cu was observed with rather high concentration in sediments, with the highest up to 1249 mg kg−1. Cu is widely used in antifouling paint for fishing ships, which may have been released into seawater and accumulated in marine sediment. High correlations of Cu, Pb and Zn with total organic carbon in sediments from these harbors indicate that the harbors may act as an important heavy metals source to the coastal environment of China. The potential ecological risk posed by Cu and Cd in the harbors of the Pearl River Delta region is from moderate to very high. Hence, there is an urgent need for more studies in this area.
References
Adamo, P., Arienzo, M., Imperato, M., Naimo, D., Nardi, G. and Stanzione, D. 2005. Distribution and partition of heavy metals in surface and sub-surface sediments of Naples city port. Chemosphere, 61(6): 800–809.
Ahumada, R. and Vargas, J. 2005. Trace metals: Inputs, sedimentation and accumulation in San Vicente Bay, Chile. Environ. Monit. Assess., 100(1–3): 11–22.
Bellucci, L. G., Frignani, M., Paolucci, D. and Ravanelli, M. 2002. Distribution of heavy metals in sediments of the Venice Lagoon: the role of the industrial area. Sci. Total. Environ., 295(1–3): 35–49.
Caplat, C., Texier, H., Barillier, D. and Lelievre, C. 2005. Heavy metals mobility in harbour contaminated sediments: The case of Port-en-Bessin. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 50(5): 504–511.
Chester, R. and Voutsinou, F. G. 1981. The Initial Assessment of Trace-Metal Pollution in Coastal Sediments. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 12(3): 84–91.
Dickinson, W. W., Dunbar, G. B. and McLeod, H. 1996. Heavy metal history from cores in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. Environ. Geol., 27(1): 59–69.
Du, J. Z., Mu, H. D., Song, H. Q., Yan, S. P., Gu, Y. J. and Zhang, J. 2008. 100 years of sediment history of heavy metals in Daya Bay, China. Water Air. Soil. Pollut., 190(1–4): 343–351.
Hakanson, L. 1980. An Ecological Risk Index for Aquatic Pollution Control–a Sedimentological Approach. Water. Res, 14(8): 975–1001.
Hu, J. F., Zhang, H. B. and Peng, P. A. 2006. Fatty acid composition of surface sediments in the subtropical Pearl River estuary and adjacent shelf, Southern China. Estuar. Coast. Shelf., 66(1–2): 346–356.
Hung, C. L.H., So, M. K., Connell, D. W., Fung, C. N., Lam, M. H.W., Nicholson, S., Richardson, B. J. and Lam, P. K.S. 2004. A preliminary risk assessment of trace elements accumulated in fish to the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) in the Northwestern waters of Hong Kong. Chemosphere, 56(7): 643–651.
Ip, C. C.M., Li, X. D., Zhang, G., Farmer, J. G., Wai, O. W.H. and Li, Y. S. 2004. Over one hundred years of trace metal fluxes in the sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, South China. Environ. Pollut., 132(1): 157–172.
Jonathan, M. P., Ram-Mohan, V. and Srinivasalu, S. 2004. Geochemical variations of major and trace elements in recent sediments, off the Gulf of Mannar, the southeast coast of India. Environ. Geol., 45(4): 466–480.
Li, X. D., Wai, O. W.H., Li, Y. S, Coles, B. J., Ramsey, M. H. and Thornton, I. 2000. Heavy metal distribution in sediment profiles of the Pearl River estuary, South China. Appl. Geochem., 15(5): 567–581.
Liaghati, T, Preda, M and Cox, M. 2004. Heavy metal distribution and controlling factors within coastal plain sediments, Bells Creek catchment, southeast Queensland, Australia. Environ. Int., 29(7): 935–948.
Lin, T., Hu, Z. H., Zhang, G., Li, X. D., Xu, W. H., Tang, J. H. and Li, J. 2009. Levels and Mass Burden of DDTs in Sediments from Fishing Harbors: The Importance of DDT-Containing Antifouling Paint to the Coastal Environment of China. Environ. Sci. Technol., 43(21): 8033–8038.
Maata, M. and Singh, S. 2008. Heavy metal pollution in Suva Harbour sediments, Fiji. Environ. Chem. Let., 6(2): 113–118.
McCready, S., Birch, G. F. and Long, E. R. 2006. Metallic and organic contaminants in sediments of Sydney Harbour, Australia and vicinity - A chemical dataset for evaluating sediment quality guidelines. Environ., 32(4): 455–465. Int.
McGee, B. L., Fisher, D. J., Yonkos, L. T., Ziegler, G. P. and Turley, S. 1999. Assessment of sediment contamination, acute toxicity, and population viability of the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus in Baltimore Harbor, Maryland, USA. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 18(10): 2151–2160.
Minchin, A. and Minchin, D. 1997. Dispersal of TBT from a fishing port determined using the dogwhelk Nucella lapillus as an indicator. Environ. Technol., 18(12): 1225–1234.
Muller, G. 1979. Schwermetalle in den sediments des Rheins-Veranderungen seitt 1971. (Heavy-Metals in Sediment of the Rhine–Changes since 1971. In German.). Umschan., 79: 778–783.
Muniz, P., Danulat, E., Yannicelli, B., Garcia-Alonso, J., Medina, G. and Bicego, M. C. 2004. Assessment of contamination by heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments of Montevideo Harbour (Uruguay). Environ. Int., 29(8): 1019–1028.
Paetzel, M., Nes, G., Leifsen, L. O. and Schrader, H. 2003. Sediment pollution in the Vagen, Bergen harbour, Norway. Environ. Geol., 43(4): 476–483.
Poulton, D. J., Morris, W. A. and Coakley, J. P. 1996. Zonation of contaminated bottom sediments in Hamilton Harbour as defined by statistical classification techniques. Water. Qual. Res. J. Canada., 31: 505–528.
Presley, B. J., Taylor, R. J. and Boothe, P. N. 1992. Trace-Metal Concentrations in Sediments of the Eastern Mississippi Bight. Mar. Environ. Res., 33(4): 267–282.
Ruiz, F. 2001. Trace metals in estuarine sediments from the southwestern Spanish coast. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 42(6): 482–490.
Tang, C. W.Y., Ip, C. C.M., Zhang, G., Shin, P. K.S., Qian, P. Y. and Li, X. D. 2008. The spatial and temporal distribution of heavy metals in sediments of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 57(6–12): 816–825.
Twining, J., Creighton, N., Hollins, S. and Szymczak, R. 2008. Probabilistic Risk Assessment and Risk Mapping of Sediment Metals in Sydney Harbour Embayments. Human. Ecol. Risk. Assess., 14(6): 1202–1225.
Windom, H. L., Schropp, S. J., Calder, F. D., Ryan, J. D., Smith, R. G., Burney, L. C., Lewis, F. G. and Rawlinson, C. H. 1989. Natural Trace-Metal Concentrations in Estuarine and Coastal Marine-Sediments of the Southeastern United-States. Environ. Sc. Technol., 23(3): 314–320.
Wong, C. S.C., Wu, S. C., Duzgoren-Aydin, N. S., Aydin, A. and Wong, M. H. 2007. Trace metal contamination of sediments in an e-waste processing village in China. Environ. Pollut., 145(2): 434–4.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Manuscripts must be original. They must not be published or be under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. It is required that the lead author of accepted papers complete and sign the MSU Press AEHM Author Publishing Agreement and provide it to the publisher upon acceptance.
