Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2019 May;26(15):14717-14731. doi: 10.1007/s11356-018-2406-3. Epub 2018 Jun 12.
Spatial variations of Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the surface sediments from 34 stations of the Kaohsiung coastal zone southwestern Taiwan were studied to address the current pollution status, sediment quality, and potential ecological risk. The study revealed that the concentrations of sediment metals in Kaohsiung Harbor were alarmingly high compared to the other region of Kaohsiung coast. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the harbor sediments were as high as 351, 247, 1.93, 61.8, 60.9, and 940 mg kg, respectively. The current situation of metal pollution was assessed by different pollution indices and results showed moderate to severe enrichment of Cu, Hg, and Zn in the harbor sediments. According to the degree of contamination, pollution load index, and contamination severity index, the sediments from the inner Kaohsiung Harbor show high degree and high severity of metal contamination, while the rest of Kaohsiung coastal areas show uncontaminated or low-level pollution. Results of mean ERM quotient and potential ecological risk index also indicated that the harbor sediments posed a 49% probability of biological toxicity and very high ecological risk. The toxic units indicated that the negative biological effects of the six metals in the harbor sediments were Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Hg > Pb. In contrast to Kaohsiung Harbor as a trap where considerable amount of anthropogenic metal loadings accumulated in sediments, low metal concentrations were observed in most Kaohsiung coastal sediments. It probably resulted from the limited fine-grained sediment deposition. In the wave-dominated Kaohsiung coastal zone, fine-grained sediments associated with polluted metals tend to be easily resuspended and transported offshore via waves and wave-induced currents. The results of this study can provide valuable information for river and coastal zone management.
本研究调查了台湾西南部高雄沿海 34 个站位表层沉积物中 Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb 和 Zn 的空间分布，以了解当前的污染状况、沉积物质量和潜在生态风险。研究结果表明，高雄港的沉积物金属浓度与高雄其他海域相比，处于警戒状态。高雄港沉积物中 Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb 和 Zn 的浓度分别高达 351、247、1.93、61.8、60.9 和 940mg/kg。采用不同的污染指数评估金属污染现状，结果表明，高雄港沉积物中 Cu、Hg 和 Zn 存在中度至重度富集。根据污染程度、污染负荷指数和污染严重指数，内高雄港的沉积物显示出高度和高度的金属污染，而高雄其他沿海地区的沉积物则显示出无污染或低水平的污染。平均 ERM 商和潜在生态风险指数的结果也表明，高雄港沉积物具有 49%的生物毒性和极高的生态风险概率。毒性单位表明，六种金属在高雄港沉积物中的负生物效应为 Zn>Cu>Cr>Ni>Hg>Pb。与作为大量人为金属负荷在沉积物中积累的陷阱的高雄港相比，大多数高雄沿海沉积物中的金属浓度较低。这可能是由于细颗粒沉积物的沉积有限。在波浪主导的高雄沿海带，与污染金属相关的细颗粒沉积物容易因波浪和波浪引起的水流而被重新悬浮和输送到近海。本研究的结果可为河流和沿海带管理提供有价值的信息。
