Abstract
The deposition history, enrichment influence factors, and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals are examined on two sediment cores retrieved from the Xuwen National Coral Reef Nature Reserve, China. 210Pbex and 137Cs dating reveals that the mean sedimentation rate is about 1.5 cm a−1 in the reserve. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in sediments begin to show evident increasing trends in the 1980s. This is most likely to be caused by the anthropogenic excessive inputs originated from the large-scale development of agricultural chemical usage, coal combustion in cane sugar industry, and marine transportation after the implementation of China open policy in 1979. The annual load of heavy metals received by the reserve in recent years is estimated at about 594 tons, in which Cr and Zn are dominated and account for a proportion of 64 %. Although the ecological risk of heavy metals is assessed as low according to the sediment quality guidelines (China marine sediment quality and US NOAA screening quick reference), appropriate pollution control measures should be undertaken to prevent the occurrences of significant adverse biological effects induced by the continuous accumulations of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in the sediments of study area.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alagarsamy R, Zhang J (2010) Geochemical characterisation of major and trace elements in the coastal sediments of India. Environ Monit Assess 161:161–176
Alvarez-Iglesias P, Quintana B, Rubio B, Péez-Arlucea M (2007) Sedimentation rates and trace metal input history in intertidal sediments from San Simó Bay (Rí de Vigo, NW Spain) derived from 210Pb and 137Cs chronology. J Environ Radioact 98:229–250
Andrewsa JE, Samwaysc G, Shimmield GB (2008) Historical storage budgets of organic carbon, nutrient and contaminant elements in saltmarsh sediments: biogeochemical context for managed realignment, Humber Estuary, UK. Sci Total Environ 405:1–13
Appleby PG (2008) Three decades of dating recent sediments by fallout radionuclides: a review. The Holocene 18:83–93
AQSIQ (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China) (2002) Marine sediment quality. GB 18668-2002 (in Chinese)
Buat-Menard P, Chesselet R (1979) Variable influence of the atmospheric flux on the trace metal chemistry of oceanic suspended matter. Earth Planet Sci Lett 42:399–411
Buchman MF (2008) NOAA Screening quick reference tables. Office of response and restoration division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle WA, pp. 1–34
Callaway JC, Delaune RD, Patrick WH (1996) Chernobyl 137Cs used to determine sediment accretion rates at selected northern European coastal wetlands. Limnol Oceanogr 41:444–450
Chen B, Liang X, Xu W, Huang X, Li X (2012) The changes in trace metal contamination over the last decade in surface sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, South China. Sci Total Environ 439:141–149
Díz-Asencio M, Alonso-Hernádez C, Bolanos-Alvarez Y, Góez-Batista M, Pinto V, Morabito R, Hernádez-Albernas JI, Eriksson M, Sanchez-Cabeza JA (2009) One century sedimentary record of Hg and Pb pollution in the Sagua estuary (Cuba) derived from 210Pb and 137Cs chronology. Mar Pollut Bull 59:108–115
Ennouri R, Chouba L, Magni P, Kraiem MM (2010) Spatial distribution of trace metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn) and oligo-elements (Mg, Ca, Na and K) in surface sediments of the Gulf of Tunis (Northern Tunisia). Environ Monit Assess 163:229–239
Feng C, Zhao S, Wang D, Niu J, Shen Z (2014) Sedimentary records of metal speciation in the Yangtze Estuary: role of hydrological events. Chemosphere 107:415–422
Gan H, Lin J, Liang K, Xia Z (2013) Selected trace metals (As, Cd and Hg) distribution and contamination in the coastal wetland sediment of the northern Beibu Gulf, South China Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 66:252–258
Hammer O, Harper DAT, Ryan PD (2001) PAST: paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontol Electron 4:1–9
Hu C, Hu W, Zhang F, Hu Z, Li X, Chen Y (2006) Sediment resuspension in the Lake Taihu, China. Chin Sci Bull 51:731–737
Huang B (2010a) Current situation of banana industry in Xuwen county and development strategy. Chin J Trop Agric 30:66–69 (in Chinese)
Huang B (2010b) Development history of sugarcane and sugar industry in Xuwen country. Chin J Trop Agric 30:60–63 (in Chinese)
Huang P, Li T, Li A, Yu X, Hu N (2014) Distribution, enrichment and sources of heavy metals in surface sediments of the North Yellow Sea. Cont Shelf Res 73:1–13
Ip CCM, Li X, Zhang G, Wai O, Li Y (2007) Trace metal distribution in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary and the surrounding coastal area, South China. Environ Pollut 147:311–323
Janaki-Raman D, Jonathan MP, Srinivasalu S, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Mohan SP, Ram-Mohan V (2007) Trace metal enrichments in core sediments in Muthupet mangroves, SE coast of India: application of acid leachable technique. Environ Pollut 145:245–257
Jara-Marini ME, Soto-Jimenez MF, Paez-Osuna F (2008) Trace metals accumulation patterns in a mangrove lagoon ecosystem, Mazatlan Harbor, southeast Gulf of California. J Environ Sci Health Part A 43:995–1005
Jayaprakash M, Viswam A, Gopal V, Muthuswamy S, Kalaivanan P, Giridharan L, Jonathan MP (2014) Bioavailable trace metals in micro-tidal Thambraparani estuary, Gulf of Mannar, SE coast of India. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 146:42–48
Li Q, Liu Y, Du Y, Cui Z, Shi L, Wang L, Li H (2011) The behavior of heavy metals in tidal flat sediments during fresh water leaching. Chemosphere 82:834–838
Li X, Hui H, Lian J, Liu S, Huang L, Yang J (2013) Spatial and temporal variations in sediment accumulation and their impacts on coral communities in the Sanya Coral Reef Reserve, Hainan, China. Deep Sea Res Part II 96:88–96
Luo K (2011) Consideration of building Xuwen Country into the vegetable culture center of China. Shanghai Veg 25:7–10 (in Chinese)
Manahan SE (2000) Environmenal chemistry, 7th edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Mil-Homens M, Branco V, Lopes C, Vale C, Abrantes F, Boer W, Vicente M (2009) Using factor analysis to characterise historical trends of trace metal contamination in a sediment core from the Tagus prodelta, Portugal. Water Air Soil Pollut 197:277–287
Morelli G, Gasparon M, Fierro D, Hu W, Zawadzki A (2012) Historical trends in trace metal and sediment accumulation in intertidal sediments of Moreton Bay, southeast Queensland, Australia. Chemical Geology 300–301:152–164
Nolting RF, Ramkema A, Everaarts JM (1999) The geochemistry of Cu, Cd, Zn, Ni and Pb in sediment cores from the continental slope of the Banc d’Arguin (Mauritania). Cont Shelf Res 19:665–691
Qiu Y, Yu K, Zhang G, Wang W (2011) Accumulation and partitioning of seven trace metals in mangroves and sediment cores from three estuarine wetlands of Hainan Island, China. J Hazard Mater 190:631–638
Romano S, Mugnai C, Giuliani S, Turetta C, Cu NH, Bellucci LG, Nhon DH (2012) Metals in sediment cores from nine coastal lagoons in central Vietnam. Am J Environ Sci 8:130–142
Rubio B, Nombela M, 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
Ruiz-Fernádez AC, Frignani M, Hillaire-Marcel C, Ghaleb B, Arvizu MD, Raygoza-Viera JR, Páz-Osuna F (2009) Trace metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, and Pb) accumulation recorded in the intertidal mudflat sediments of three coastal lagoons in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Estuaries Coasts 32:551–564
Schneider L, Maher W, Potts J, Batley G, Taylor A, Krikowa F, Chariton A, Zawadzki A, Heijnis H, Gruber B (2015) History of metal contamination in Lake Illawarra, NSW, Australia. Chemosphere 119:377–386
Shi M, Chen C, Xu Q, Lin H, Liu G, Wang H, Wang F, Yan J (2002) The role of Qiongzhou Strait in the seasonal variation of the South China Sea circulation. J Phys Oceanogr 32:103–121 (in Chinese)
Shi Q, Leipe T, Rueckert P, Zhou D, Harff J (2010) Geochemical sources, deposition and enrichment of heavy metals in short sediment cores from the Pearl River Estuary, Southern China. J Mar Syst 82(Supplement):S28–S42
Song Y, Yu K, Zhao J, Feng Y, Shi Q, Zhang H, Ayoko GA, Frost RL (2014) Past 140-year environmental record in the northern South China Sea: evidence from coral skeletal trace metal variations. Environ Pollut 185:97–106
Thangaradjou T, Subhashini P, Raja S, Dilipan E, Nobi EP (2014) Evidences for heavy metal contamination in surface sediments of seagrass ecosystem of Lakshadweep archipelago, India. Environ Earth Sci 71:1135–1146
Xia P, Meng X, Yin P, Cao Z, Wang X (2011) Eighty-year sedimentary record of heavy metal inputs in the intertidal sediments from the Nanliu River estuary, Beibu Gulf of South China Sea. Environ Pollut 159:92–99
Xu Y, Sun Q, Li L, Yin X, Wang A, Li Y, Chen J (2014) The source of natural and anthropogenic heavy metals in the sediments of the Minjiang River Estuary (SE China): implications for historical pollution. Sci Total Environ 493:729–736
Yan J, Chen D (2005) The characteristics of low frequency currents in the area of Shuidong anchored floating whelf in the west of Guangdong coastal waters. Trans Oceanol Limnol 3:8–14
Yan C, Zhang J, Shi W, Liu Y, Ma H, Du X (2013) Pineapple planting status and factors affecting growth in Xuwen County. Chin J Trop Agric 33:17–21 (in Chinese)
Yang Y, Chen F, Zhang L, Liu J, Wu S, Kang M (2012) Comprehensive assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediment of the Pearl River Estuary and adjacent shelf. Mar Pollut Bull 64:1947–1955
Zhang W, Liu X, Cheng H, Zeng E, Hu Y (2012) Heavy metal pollution in sediments of a typical mariculture zone in South China. Mar Pollut Bull 64:712–720
Zhang R, Zhang F, Zhang T (2013a) Sedimentary records of PAHs in a sediment core from tidal flat of Haizhou Bay, China. Sci Total Environ 450–51:280–288
Zhang R, Zhou L, Zhang F, Ding Y, Gao J, Chen J, Yan H, Shao W (2013b) Heavy metal pollution and assessment in the tidal flat sediments of Haizhou Bay, China. Mar Pollut Bull 74:403–412
Zhao H, Wang L, Song C, Chen B (2009) Coral reef on the western coast of Xuwen. Guangdong Press of Science and Technology, Guangzhou (in Chinese)
Acknowledgments
Financial support for this study is provided by China Geological Survey (Grant No. 1212010914020). The authors are grateful to the colleagues from the Zhanjiang Institute of Geological Engineering Exploration who assisted in field work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gan, H., Lin, J., He, H. et al. Deposition history and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments from Xuwen Coral Reef Reserve, China. Environ Earth Sci 74, 6819–6830 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4677-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4677-z