Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Technical and Engineering Faculty, Bojnord University, Bojnord, Iran
2 Department of Water Engineering, Technical and Engineering Faculty, Islamic Azad University, Central Branch, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Geology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Keywords
Main Subjects
Evaluation of the ecological risk of heavy metals in the sediments of coastal wetlandsCase study: coastal wetlands of Chabahar Bay, mangrove ecosystem
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Heavy metals are a group of pollutants that can cause serious environmental problems because they are very toxic, persistent, and can accumulate and magnify in living organisms, especially in coastal and marine ecosystems. Sediments are the main sink for these pollutants, and measuring the metals in sediments is important for assessing the level and risk of heavy metal contamination that can affect human health. Different indices are used to estimate the pollution and risk of heavy metals in coastal and marine environments, such as the pollution index, concentration index, potential environmental risk index, and the Pollution Factor (CF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), Land Accumulation Index (Igeo) and Enrichment Factor (EF), which can indicate the degree of heavy metal contamination.
Chabahar mangrove habitat is near Chabahar industrial city in Azad Zone, where steel and petrochemical factories discharge their wastewater into this habitat, exposing it to high levels of pollutants like heavy metals. Chabahar Bay is in the northeast of the Oman Sea and is part of a special coastal area that is influenced by changes in sea level. It covers an area of about 320 square kilometers. The samples were collected in December 1401 from the sediment (10 cm from the surface) and water according to Iranian and international standards from the selected stations. Stations S1 and S3 were chosen because they are upstream and downstream of the sewage channel, respectively, so that the impact of sewage on heavy metal concentration can be evaluated. Station S4 is where the mangrove vegetation starts and station S6 is where it ends, with a distance of about 2285 between them.
The cadmium concentration along the route is almost stable and ranges from 0.25 to 0.3. The other heavy metals show different patterns, so Zn, Pb, and Ni decrease from upstream to downstream (S1 to S3), but As and Cr increase and reach their peak at station S4, and then drop to their lowest value at station S6, which is also lower than the starting station (S1). Compared to the Canadian EQG standard, Cu and Pb concentrations are lower than the standard for all four stations, indicating that the sediments are not polluted by these metals. According to this standard, stations S1, S3, and S4 are polluted by Cr, and only station S6 has a lower concentration of this metal. Stations S1 and S4 are polluted by Ni, but they are not polluted by Cd, As, and Zn. Compared to the NOAA standard, station S4 is polluted by Cu, stations S1, S3, and S4 are polluted by Cr and Ni, and in other cases where the metal concentrations are lower than the NOAA standard, the sediments are not polluted.
In the sediment environment, only cadmium showed a nearly constant pattern, while the other metals decreased from the first to the third station, then increased downstream, and reached their maximum value at the fourth station. The pollution load index was less than one for all four stations, indicating that they are not polluted. The highest value of the risk index was at the fourth station, with a value of 78.38, and the lowest value was at the first station, with a value of 36.21. The risk index values for four.
Ahrari_Roudi, M., Basirani, B., & Razaei, H. (2022). Identification of areas susceptible to environmental pollution in the coasts of Chabahar Bay. Journal of Environmental Science Studies, 7(3), 5251-5265. doi: 10.22034/jess.2022.338975.1769. (In Persian)
abyat, hajar, ansari, mohammad reza, Rang Zan, N., & abyat, ahmad. (2020). Assessment of Heavy Metals in Hooralazim Wetland Sediments by Calculation of Pollution Index. Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research, 51(10), 2469–2481. https://doi.org/10.22059/ijswr.2020.298194.668505. (In Persian)
Addo-Bediako, A. (2020). Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Blyde and Steelpoort Rivers of the Olifants River System, South Africa. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 29(5), 3023–3029. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/112621
Adekola, F. A., & Eletta, O. A. A. (2007). A study of heavy metal pollution of Asa River, Ilorin. nigeria; trace metal monitoring and geochemistry. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 125(1), 157–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-9248-z
Adomako, D., Nyarko, B. J. B., Dampare, S. B., Serfor-Armah, Y., Osae, S., Fianko, J. R., & Akaho, E. H. K. (2008). Determination of toxic elements in waters and sediments from River Subin in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 141, 165–175.
Agah, H. (2021). Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediment, fish, and human hair from Chabahar Bay, Makoran, Iran. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 169, 112345. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112345
Al-Kahtany, K., & El-Sorogy, A. S. (2023). Contamination and health risk assessment of surface sediments along Ras Abu Ali Island, Saudi Arabia. Journal of King Saud University-Science, 35(2), 102509.
Al-Taani, A. A., Batayneh, A. T., El-Radaideh, N., Ghrefat, H., Zumlot, T., Al-Rawabdeh, A. M., Al-Momani, T., & Taani, A. (2015). Spatial distribution and pollution assessment of trace metals in surface sediments of Ziqlab Reservoir, Jordan. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187, 1–14.
Alongi, D. M. (2002). Present state and future of the world’s mangrove forests. Environmental Conservation, 29(3), 331–349.
Angulo, E. (1996). The Tomlinson Pollution Load Index applied to heavy metal,‘Mussel-Watch’data: a useful index to assess coastal pollution. Science of the Total Environment, 187(1), 19–56.
Antizar-Ladislao, B., Mondal, P., Mitra, S., & Sarkar, S. K. (2015). Assessment of trace metal contamination level and toxicity in sediments from coastal regions of West Bengal, eastern part of India. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 101(2), 886–894.
Asare, E. A., Assim, Z., Wahi, R., & Fianko, J. R. (2022). Eco-toxic risk assessment and source distribution of trace metals in surface sediments of the coastal and in four rivers estuary of Sarawak. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 11(1), 18.
Askari Dehno, M., Mousavi Harami, S. R., & Noora, M. R. (2022). Environmental geochemistry of heavy metals in coral reefs and sediments of Chabahar Bay. Results in Engineering, 13, 100346. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2022.100346
Barani, H. K., Alavi-Yeganeh, M. S., & Bakhtiari, A. R. (2023). Metals bioaccumulation, possible sources and consumption risk assessment in five Sillaginid species, a case study: Bandar Abbas (Persian Gulf) and Chabahar Bay (Oman Sea), Iran. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 187, 114551.
Bazzi A. Determining the level of heavy metal pollution in surface sediments of the Gulf of Chabahar. ijhe 2015; 8 (1) :45-56. (In Persian)
Bayati, S., Zamani Ahmadmahmoodi, R., & Mafi Gholami, D. (2020). Water Quality Assessment of the Choghakhor Wetland for Heavy Metals Using MI, HPI, HEI, Cd and IRWQIST Indices. Iranian Journal of Ecohydrology, 7(4), 1021–1031. https://doi.org/10.22059/ije.2020.309854.1382. (In Persian)
Boboria, D., Maata, M., & Mani, F. S. (2021). Metal pollution in sediments and bivalves in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 164, 112026.
Böke Özkoç, H., & Arıman, S. (2023). Contamination and risk assessment of heavy metals in coastal sediments from the Mid-Black Sea, Turkey. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 37(1), 375–394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-022-02300-4
Chen, Y., Liu, Q., Xu, M., & Wang, Z. (2020). Inter-annual variability of heavy metals pollution in surface sediments of Jiangsu coastal region, China: case study of the Dafeng Port. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 150, 110720.
Cho, J., Hyun, S., Han, J.-H., Kim, S., & Shin, D.-H. (2015). Historical trend in heavy metal pollution in core sediments from the Masan Bay, Korea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 95(1), 427–432.
Cui, S., Zhang, F., Hu, P., Hough, R., Fu, Q., Zhang, Z., An, L., Li, Y.-F., Li, K., Liu, D., & Chen, P. (2019). Heavy Metals in Sediment from the Urban and Rural Rivers in Harbin City, Northeast China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224313
Dahri, N., Atoui, A., Ellouze, M., & Abida, H. (2018). Assessment of streambed sediment contamination by heavy metals: The case of the Gabes Catchment, South-eastern Tunisia. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 140, 29–41.
Dash, S., Borah, S. S., & Kalamdhad, A. S. (2021). Heavy metal pollution and potential ecological risk assessment for surficial sediments of Deepor Beel, India. Ecological Indicators, 122, 107265.
Davoodi, H., Gharibreza, M., Negarestan, H., Mortazavi, M. S., & Lak, R. (2017). Ecological risk assessment of the Assaluyeh and Bassatin estuaries (northern Persian Gulf) using sediment quality indices. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 192, 17–28.
Defew, L. H., Mair, J. M., & Guzman, H. M. (2005). An assessment of metal contamination in mangrove sediments and leaves from Punta Mala Bay, Pacific Panama. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 50(5), 547–552.
Dhamodharan, A., Abinandan, S., Aravind, U., Ganapathy, G. P., & Shanthakumar, S. (2019). Distribution of metal contamination and risk indices assessment of surface sediments from Cooum River, Chennai, India. International Journal of Environmental Research, 13, 853–860.
Du, Y., Gao, B., Zhou, H., Ju, X., Hao, H., & Yin, S. (2013). Health risk assessment of heavy metals in road dusts in urban parks of Beijing, China. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 18, 299–309.
Duke, N. C. (1992). Mangrove floristics and biogeography. Tropical Mangrove Ecosystems, 41, 63–100.
Duodu, G. O., Goonetilleke, A., & Ayoko, G. A. (2016). Comparison of pollution indices for the assessment of heavy metal in Brisbane River sediment. Environmental Pollution, 219, 1077–1091.
Fadlillah, L. N., Utami, S., Rachmawati, A. A., Jayanto, G. D., & Widyastuti, M. (2023). Ecological risk and source identifications of heavy metals contamination in the water and surface sediments from anthropogenic impacts of urban river, Indonesia. Heliyon.
Feng, J., Zhu, X., Wu, H., Ning, C., & Lin, G. (2017). Distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments of a typical restored mangrove–aquaculture wetland in Shenzhen, China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 124(2), 1033–1039.
Förstner, U. (2002). Sediment sampling, sample preparation, grain size corrections, and chemical criteria (pp. 14.1-14.35).
Fukue, M., Yanai, M., Sato, Y., Fujikawa, T., Furukawa, Y., & Tani, S. (2006). Background values for evaluation of heavy metal contamination in sediments. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 136(1), 111–119.
Ghrefat, H. A., Abu-Rukah, Y., & Rosen, M. A. (2011). Application of geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor for assessing metal contamination in the sediments of Kafrain Dam, Jordan. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 178, 95–109.
Gu, C., Zhang, Y., Peng, Y., Leng, P., Zhu, N., Qiao, Y., Li, Z., & Li, F. (2020). Spatial distribution and health risk assessment of dissolved trace elements in groundwater in southern China. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 7886.
Hakanson, L. (1980). An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach. Water Research, 14(8), 975–1001.
Harbison, P. A. T. (1986). Mangrove muds—a sink and a source for trace metals. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 17(6), 246–250.
Hasan, M. R., Anisuzzaman, M., Choudhury, T. R., Arai, T., Yu, J., Albeshr, M. F., & Hossain, M. B. (2023). Vertical distribution, contamination status and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in core sediments from a mangrove-dominated tropical river. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 189, 114804. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2023.114804
Huang, Y., Chen, Q., Deng, M., Japenga, J., Li, T., Yang, X., & He, Z. (2018). Heavy metal pollution and health risk assessment of agricultural soils in a typical peri-urban area in southeast China. Journal of Environmental Management, 207, 159–168.
Islam, M. S., Ahmed, M. K., Raknuzzaman, M., Habibullah -Al- Mamun, M., & Islam, M. K. (2015). Heavy metal pollution in surface water and sediment: A preliminary assessment of an urban river in a developing country. Ecological Indicators, 48, 282–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.08.016
Ji, Z., Zhang, Y., Zhang, H., Huang, C., & Pei, Y. (2019). Fraction spatial distributions and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in the sediments of Baiyangdian Lake. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 174, 417–428.
Keshavarzi, B., Ebrahimi, P., & Moore, F. (2015). A GIS-based approach for detecting pollution sources and bioavailability of metals in coastal and marine sediments of Chabahar Bay, SE Iran. Geochemistry, 75(2), 185–195. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemer.2014.11.003
Keshavarzi, B., Ebrahimi, P., Moore, F., & Hamzeh, M. A. (2013). Geochemistry and distribution of heavy metals in coastal and marine sediments of Chabahar Bay. Advanced Applied Geology, 3(1), 74–81. https://aag.scu.ac.ir/article_11594.html. (In Persian)
Khaleghi, M. (2013). Identification of Holothurians Species (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata) in the Intertidal Zones of Chabahar Bay. Experimental Animal Biology, 2(2), 61–69. https://eab.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_976.html. (In Persian)
khalili, reza, zali, abolfazl, & motaghi, hamed. (2021). Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Water and Sediments of Haraz River, Using Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo). Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research, 52(4), 933–942. https://doi.org/10.22059/ijswr.2021.316080.668850. (In Persian)
Kumar, S., Karmoker, J., Pal, B. K., Luo, C., & Zhao, M. (2019). Trace metals contamination in different compartments of the Sundarbans mangrove: A review. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 148, 47–60.
Lewis, M., Pryor, R., & Wilking, L. (2011). Fate and effects of anthropogenic chemicals in mangrove ecosystems: a review. Environmental Pollution, 159(10), 2328–2346.
Loska, K., & Wiechuła, D. (2003). Application of principal component analysis for the estimation of source of heavy metal contamination in surface sediments from the Rybnik Reservoir. Chemosphere, 51(8), 723–733.
Milenkovic, N., Damjanovic, M., & Ristic, M. (2005). Study of heavy metal pollution in sediments from the Iron Gate (Danube River), Serbia and Montenegro. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 14(6).
Mohajane, C., & Manjoro, M. (2022). Sediment-associated heavy metal contamination and potential ecological risk along an urban river in South Africa. Heliyon, 8(12), e12499. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12499
Mohammad Ali, B. N., Lin, C. Y., Cleophas, F., Abdullah, M. H., & Musta, B. (2015). Assessment of heavy metals contamination in Mamut river sediments using sediment quality guidelines and geochemical indices. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187, 1–11.
Mohiuddin, K. M., Zakir, H. M., Otomo, K., Sharmin, S., & Shikazono, N. (2010). Geochemical distribution of trace metal pollutants in water and sediments of downstream of an urban river. International Journal of Environmental Science & Technology, 7, 17–28.
Moore, F., Esmaeili, K., & Keshavarzi, B. (2011). Assessment of heavy metals contamination in stream water and sediments affected by the Sungun porphyry copper deposit, East Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Iran. Water Quality, Exposure and Health, 3, 37–49.
Mortazavi, S., & Saberinasab, F. (2017). Zoning concentration and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments of Mighan wetland. Iranian Journal of Ecohydrology, 4(2), 533–545. https://doi.org/10.22059/ije.2017.61490. (In Persian)
Muller, G. (1969). Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the Rhine River. Geojournal, 2, 108–118.
Muller, G. (1979). Heavy-metals in sediment of the Rhine-changes since 1971. Umschau in Wissenschaft Und Technik, 79(24), 778–783.
Muller, G. (1981). Dei Schwermetallbelstung der sedimente des Neckars and seiner Nebenfusse: Eine estandsaufnahme. Chemical Zeitung, 105, 157–164.
nohegar, ahmad, habibi, samaneh, & Behrouzi, M. (2021). Measurement and evaluation of water pollution and coastal sediments in estuaries of Bandar Abbas. Iranian Journal of Ecohydrology, 8(2), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.22059/ije.2021.315647.1441. (In Persian)
Nriagu, J. O., & Nieboer, E. (1988). Production and uses of chromium. Chromium in the Natural and Human Environments, 20, 81–104.
Nematollahi, M. J., Moore, F., Keshavarzi, B., & Hamzeh, M. A. (2014). Surficial and vertical distribution of heavy metals in marine and intertidal sediments in the Iranian sector of Gowatr bay.. Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 13(2), 31-40. doi: 10.22113/jmst.2014.7815. (In Persian)
Olivares-Rieumont, S., De la Rosa, D., Lima, L., Graham, D. W., Katia, D., Borroto, J., Martínez, F., & Sánchez, J. (2005). Assessment of heavy metal levels in Almendares River sediments—Havana City, Cuba. Water Research, 39(16), 3945–3953.
Partani, S., Ghiassi, R., Khodadadi Darban, A., & Saeedi, M. (2015). Investigating NaturalPhysicalAdsorption ofOilContent byMangroves, A field-scale study. International Journal of Environmental Research, 9(1), 373–384.
Partani, S., Mehr, A. D., Maghrebi, M., Mokhtari, R., Nachtnebel, H.-P., Taniwaki, R. H., & Arzhangi, A. (2023). A new spatial estimation model and source apportionment of aliphatic hydrocarbons in coastal surface sediments of the Nayband Bay, Persian Gulf. Science of The Total Environment, 904, 166746. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166746
Partani, S., taherian, abbas, jafari, ali, Jarahi, H., & Arzhangi, A. (2023). Identification and evaluation of biological pollution sources of urban runoff. Journal of Environmental Studies. https://doi.org/10.22059/jes.2023.361348.1008423. (In Persian)
Qing, X., Yutong, Z., & Shenggao, L. (2015). Assessment of heavy metal pollution and human health risk in urban soils of steel industrial city (Anshan), Liaoning, Northeast China. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 120, 377–385.
Rahman, S. H., Khanam, D., Adyel, T. M., Islam, M. S., Ahsan, M. A., & Akbor, M. A. (2012). Assessment of heavy metal contamination of agricultural soil around Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ), Bangladesh: implication of seasonal variation and indices. Applied Sciences, 2(3), 584–601.
Ranjbar, A., Riyahi, A., Shadmehri, A., & Jadot, C. (2017). Chemosphere Spatial distribution , ecological and health risk assessment of heavy metals in marine surface sediments and coastal seawaters of fringing coral reefs of the Persian Gulf , Iran. Chemosphere, 185, 1090–1111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.07.110
Saeedi, M., & Karbassi, A. R. (2006). Heavy metals pollution and speciation in sediments of southern part of the Caspian Sea.
Shahbazi, K., Fathi-Gerdelidani, A., & Marzi, M. (2022). Investigation of the status of heavy metals in soils of Iran: A comprehensive and critical review of reported studies. Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research, 53(5), 1163–1212. https://doi.org/10.22059/ijswr.2022.341586.669245. (In Persian)
Siddiqui, E., & Pandey, J. (2019). Assessment of heavy metal pollution in water and surface sediment and evaluation of ecological risks associated with sediment contamination in the Ganga River: a basin-scale study. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26, 10926–10940.
Sinex, S. A., & Helz, G. R. (1981). Regional geochemistry of trace elements in Chesapeake Bay sediments. Environmental Geology, 3(6), 315–323.
Singh, B. P., Choudhury, M., Samanta, P., Gaur, M., & Kumar, M. (2021). Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Adjoining Sediment of River Ecosystem. Sustainability, 13(18), 10330.
Sun, Z., Mou, X., Tong, C., Wang, C., Xie, Z., Song, H., Sun, W., & Lv, Y. (2015). Spatial variations and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in intertidal zone of the Yellow River estuary, China. Catena, 126, 43–52.
Suresh, G., Ramasamy, V., Meenakshisundaram, V., Venkatachalapathy, R., & Ponnusamy, V. (2011). Influence of mineralogical and heavy metal composition on natural radionuclide concentrations in the river sediments. Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 69(10), 1466–1474.
Tian, K., Wu, Q., Liu, P., Hu, W., Huang, B., Shi, B., Zhou, Y., Kwon, B.-O., Choi, K., & Ryu, J. (2020). Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments and water from the coastal areas of the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. Environment International, 136, 105512.
Tomlinson, D. L., Wilson, J. G., Harris, C. R., & Jeffrey, D. W. (1980). Problems in the assessment of heavy-metal levels in estuaries and the formation of a pollution index. Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen, 33(1), 566–575.
US EPA. (2020). Environmental Protection Agency LaboratorUS EPA. 2020. “Environmental Protection Agency Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division Athens, Region 4. LSASDPROC-200-R4 Sediment Sampling. Effective Date: February 23, 2020.” 17.y Services and Applied Sc. 17.
USEPA. (1996). Method 1669: Sampling Ambient Water for Trace Metals at EPA Water Quality Criteria Levels. Environmental Protection, July, 37.
Vallero, D. A. (2004). Environmental contaminants: assessment and control.
Wang, Y., Qiu, Q., Xin, G., Yang, Z., Zheng, J., Ye, Z., & Li, S. (2013). Heavy metal contamination in a vulnerable mangrove swamp in South China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185, 5775–5787.
Wu, H., Liu, J., Bi, X., Lin, G., Feng, C. C., Li, Z., Qi, F., Zheng, T., & Xie, L. (2017). Trace metals in sediments and benthic animals from aquaculture ponds near a mangrove wetland in Southern China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 117(1–2), 486–491.
Xiao, C., Jian, H., Chen, L., Liu, C., Gao, H., Zhang, C., Liang, S., & Li, Y. (2017). Toxic metal pollution in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, China: distribution, controlling factors and potential risk. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 119(1), 381–389.
Xie, Z., Zhu, G., Xu, M., Zhang, H., Yi, W., Jiang, Y., Liang, M., & Wang, Z. (2022). Risk assessment of heavy metals in a typical mangrove ecosystem-A case study of Shankou Mangrove National Natural Reserve, southern China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 178, 113642. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2022.113642
Xu, F., Qiu, L., Cao, Y., Huang, J., Liu, Z., Tian, X., Li, A., & Yin, X. (2016). Trace metals in the surface sediments of the intertidal Jiaozhou Bay, China: Sources and contamination assessment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 104(1–2), 371–378.
Yan, Y., Han, L., Yu, R., Hu, G., Zhang, W., Cui, J., Yan, Y., & Huang, H. (2020). Background determination, pollution assessment and source analysis of heavy metals in estuarine sediments from Quanzhou Bay, southeast China. Catena, 187, 104322.
Zhang, M., Chen, G., Luo, Z., Sun, X., & Xu, J. (2020). Spatial distribution, source identification, and risk assessment of heavy metals in seawater and sediments from Meishan Bay, Zhejiang coast, China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 156, 111217.
Zhang, Q., Ren, F., Xiong, X., Gao, H., Wang, Y., Sun, W., Leng, P., Li, Z., & Bai, Y. (2021). Spatial distribution and contamination assessment of heavy metal pollution of sediments in coastal reclamation areas: a case study in Shenzhen Bay, China. Environmental Sciences Europe, 33, 1–11.
Zhao, M., Wang, E., Xia, P., Feng, A., Chi, Y., & Sun, Y. (2019). Distribution and pollution assessment of heavy metals in the intertidal zone environments of typical sea areas in China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 138, 397–406.
Zhao, Q., Wang, Y., Cao, Y., Chen, A., Ren, M., Ge, Y., Yu, Z., Wan, S., Hu, A., & Bo, Q. (2014). Potential health risks of heavy metals in cultivated topsoil and grain, including correlations with human primary liver, lung and gastric cancer, in Anhui province, Eastern China. Science of the Total Environment, 470, 340–347.
)