Assessment of sediment quality in two important areas of mariculture in the Bohai Sea and the northern Yellow Sea based on acid-volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metal results.

The surface sediments from Laizhou Bay (LB) and the coastal sea around Zhangzi Island (ZI) were analyzed for acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEMs) to assess the sediment quality. These two areas, especially LB, are important mariculture bases in China and are significantly affected by the Yellow River. The concentrations of AVS ([AVS]) and SEM ([SEM]) varied in the ranges 0.71-11.03 and 0.10-0.74 μmol g(-1) dry weight, respectively. [AVS] was generally low in the river outlet area and increased in the seaward direction in LB. [AVS] was significantly and positively correlated with TOC. [SEM] was significantly and positively correlated with TOC, the water content of sediment and the fine sediment fraction and it was significantly and negatively correlated with coarse sediment fraction. The obtained results suggest that the surface sediments of LB and ZI were of high quality and not likely to cause negative effects on their ecosystems.