Key Laboratory for Information System of Mountainous Area and Protection of Ecological Environment of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550001, China.
School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550001, China.
Environ Geochem Health. 2024 Aug 21;46(10):381. doi: 10.1007/s10653-024-02171-4.
Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pose a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated the content and potential sources of PTEs (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) in water, sediment, and dominant aquatic plants (Hydrilla verticillata and Spirogyra varians) in the Xiaojiang River, located near the Zhaiying manganese mine in Guizhou Province, China. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis were employed to assess PTE distribution and potential sources. Water PTE concentrations complied with the Class II standard (GB3838-2002), indicating no water pollution. However, sediment PTE levels exceeded background values, particularly Mn, which exhibited moderate to strong contamination. Cd also showed moderate contamination, posing a considerable ecological risk. Cd was the main potential pollutant with the highest contribution rate. Mn and Cd were therefore identified as priority pollutants requiring targeted abatement strategies. Mining activities likely represent the primary source, but combined pollution from vehicle traffic and agriculture might also contribute. Hydrilla verticillata demonstrated a higher capacity for PTE enrichment from sediment compared to Spirogyra varians, suggesting its potential for sediment remediation (except for Cu). A significant correlation existed between both plant species and sediment PTE content. PCA supported the association between S. varians and sediment PTEs. Linear regression analyses revealed better correlations between S. varians and sediment Mn, Ni, Cu, and Zn (0.77, 0.68, 0.82, and 0.79, respectively). Taken together, these findings suggest that S. varians serves as an effective bioindicator for monitoring sediment contamination with PTEs.
潜在有毒元素 (PTEs) 对水生生态系统构成重大威胁。本研究调查了中国贵州省翟营锰矿区附近的小江河水体、沉积物和优势水生植物（水绵和转板藻）中 PTEs（Cr、Mn、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb）的含量和潜在来源。采用相关分析、主成分分析（PCA）和聚类分析来评估 PTE 的分布和潜在来源。水体 PTE 浓度符合 II 类标准（GB3838-2002），表明没有水污染。然而，沉积物 PTE 水平超过背景值，特别是 Mn，呈现出中度到强烈的污染。Cd 也表现出中度污染，对生态系统构成了相当大的风险。Cd 是主要的潜在污染物，贡献率最高。因此，Mn 和 Cd 被确定为需要采取针对性减排策略的优先污染物。采矿活动可能是主要来源，但汽车交通和农业的综合污染也可能有贡献。水绵从沉积物中富集 PTE 的能力高于转板藻，表明其具有修复沉积物的潜力（除 Cu 外）。两种植物与沉积物 PTE 含量之间存在显著相关性。PCA 支持了转板藻与沉积物 PTEs 的关联。线性回归分析显示，转板藻与沉积物 Mn、Ni、Cu 和 Zn 之间的相关性更好（分别为 0.77、0.68、0.82 和 0.79）。综上所述，这些发现表明转板藻是监测沉积物中 PTE 污染的有效生物指示剂。
