Integrated assessment of major and trace elements in surface and core sediments from an urban lagoon, China: Potential ecological risks and influencing factors

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2021-09, Vol.170, p.112651-112651, Article 112651
• Main Authors: Peter, Philomina O., Rashid, Azhar, Nkinahamira, François, Wang, Hongjie, Sun, Qian, Gad, Mahmoud, Yu, Chang-Ping, Hu, Anyi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Bivariate analysis; Cadmium; Contaminants; Copper; Ecological effects; Ecological risk assessment; Environmental risk; Heavy metals; Heterogeneity; Human influences; Lagoons; Lakes; Major and trace elements; Marine sediments; Patchiness; Physicochemical processes; Pollution assessment; Principal components analysis; Risk factors; Sediment; Sediments; Spatial analysis; Spatial heterogeneity; Surface and core sediments; Trace elements; Trace metals; Urban lagoon; Zinc
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112651

Marine sediments serve as a sink for contaminants of anthropogenic origin. Here, 25 major and trace elements were determined in surface and core sediments from an urban lagoon (Yundang Lagoon), China. The median concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn in both surface and core sediments exceeded global and crustal averages. Principal component analysis for the elements and ecological impact of the heavy metals indicated spatial heterogeneity in core sediments from different lagoon areas; however, no such pattern was observed in surface sediments. Geodetector analysis indicated spatial locations of lakes, pH, N%, C%, and S% as the major factors influencing the heterogeneity of potential ecological risk index, a cumulative measure of the ecological impact of heavy metal. The interaction detector indicated nonlinear and bivariate enhancement between different physicochemical parameters. Besides, a depth profile of the elements in different samples was also elucidated. [Display omitted] •Anthropogenic activities cause the metal pollution in Yundang Lagoon.•Major and trace elements were higher at surface sediments compare to the core sediments.•PCA indicated spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of metalloids.•Risk assessment indices indicated moderate to extreme contamination by heavy metals.•Geodetector analysis indicated association of potential environmental risks of metals with sediment variables.