Spatial variation, fractionation and sedimentary records of mercury in the East China Sea

Surface and core sediments were collected to study distributions, phases and potential environmental risk of Hg and to reconstruct anthropogenic Hg change over the past one hundred years in the East China Sea (ECS). Hg contents in surface sediments displayed a decreasing gradient from the Changjiang...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2015-12, Vol.101 (1), p.434-441
Main Authors: Duan, Li-Qin, Song, Jin-Ming, Yu, Yu, Yuan, Hua-Mao, Li, Xue-Gang, Li, Ning
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adsorption
Chemical Fractionation
China
East China Sea
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Environmental risk
Estuaries
fractionation
Geologic Sediments - analysis
guidelines
Marine
Mercury
Mercury - analysis
organic matter
Phase
risk
Sediment
Sedimentary record
sediments
Spatio-Temporal Analysis
The East China Sea
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry
water pollution
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Summary:Surface and core sediments were collected to study distributions, phases and potential environmental risk of Hg and to reconstruct anthropogenic Hg change over the past one hundred years in the East China Sea (ECS). Hg contents in surface sediments displayed a decreasing gradient from the Changjiang Estuary to the outer sea. Sequential extraction analysis showed that Hg mainly existed as residual fraction (70.18% of total), and while organic matter fraction (22.96% of total) was the main component of labile fraction, indicating the strong adsorption of organic matters on Hg. Enrichment factor and sediment quality guidelines suggested that Hg in sediments of ECS were at minor enrichment and low adverse effect. Temporal distributions of total Hg content, labile fraction, burial flux and anthropogenic Hg flux showed that anthropogenic Hg input increased since the 1960s, which was related to riverine input and atmospheric transport. •Hg contents and its speciation were determined in the East China Sea sediments.•Labile fraction and anthropogenic flux of Hg were used to reflect the historical changes.•Accumulation of anthropogenic Hg increased since 1960.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.050