Heavy metals in surface sediments from Minjiang Estuary-Mazu and Xiamen-Jinmen sea areas

Abstract

The concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd in surface sediments from Minjiang Estuary-Mazu and Xiamen-Jinmen sea areas of China were investigated during 1995-1996. The concentration ranges of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd in the Minjiang Estuary-Mazu sea area were 16.4-37.2, 33.4-69.6, 92.1-128, 0.087-0.336 mg/kg(dry wt.), respectively; those for Xiamen-Jinmen sea area were 11.0-24.5, 36. 0-80.3, 77.5-161, 0.135-0.285 mg/kg(dry wt.), respectively. The concentrations and distributions of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd in surface sediments of Minjiang Estuary-Mazu and Xiamen-Jinmen sea areas were analyzed and evaluated. The results showed that the values of Zn and Pb exceeded those of sediment quality criteria. The average concentration of Cu in Minjiang Estuary-Mazu sea area was higher than that in Xiamen-Jinmen sea area. The obviously higher concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd were found at outlets of Minjiang and Jiulong River. From the estuaries to open sea, the concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd had a decreasing trend, and then elevated in the sea areas near Mazu and Jinmen, suggesting that Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd in Minjiang Estuary-Mazu and Xiamen-Jinmen sea areas may come from both the mainland and Taiwan of China.