Spatial Variations of Heavy Metals in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Surface Sediments
Resource
Chemistry and Ecology 13 (2): 77-91
Journal
Chemistry and Ecology
Journal Volume
13
Journal Issue
2
Pages
77--91
Date Issued
1996
Author(s)
Chen, Chin-Ming
Abstract
Surface sediments collected from continental shelf of the East China Sea were analyzed for heavy metals (iron, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, cadmium), carbonate, organic carbon contents, and grain sizes. The range of concentrations observed were iron: 0.3-1.3 wt%, manganese: 2.3-14 μmole/g, copper: 7.1-184 μmole/g, zinc: 0.16-0.77 μmole/g, lead: 15-98 μmole/g, cadmium: 0.17-3.9 μmole/g, carbonate: 3.6-87 wt%, sand: 10-100%, silt: 0-70% and clay: 0-50%. A zonal distribution pattern of the heavy metals was found in the East China Sea Continental shelf sediments. High concentrations of most heavy metals, organic carbon and fine-grained sediments were observed in the inner shelf zone, especially those near the discharge of the Yangtze River. Concentrations of these heavy metals decreased from the inner shelf to the shelf break region. High concentrations of metals were also found in sediments near Taiwan. Iron concentrations decreased north-east of the central shelf region. High concentrations of cadmium were found in the shelf break region where biogenic carbonate is predominant. This study showed that biogenic carbonate in the East China Sea shelf break region and the terrigenous sediments from the Yangtze River and island of Taiwan were the major sources of heavy metals. Heavy metal concentrations were strongly influenced by the content of the coarse-grained quartz sand present in the sediments.
Subjects
East China Sea Continental shelf; Heavy metals; Reactive metals; Sediments; Spatial variation
SDGs
Other Subjects
; heavy metal; contamination; continental shelf; continental shelves; heavy metal; heavy metals; marine sediment; surface sediments; East China Sea
Type
journal article