Characterization and Risk Assessment of Nutrient and Heavy Metal Pollution in Surface Sediments of Representative Lakes in Yangxin County, China

Xiaoqing Yang, Mingkai Leng, Xuguang Ge (), Xiaodong Wu (), Haoran Liu, Guiying Lin, Zhi Huang and Yuhan Chen
Additional contact information
Xiaoqing Yang: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
Mingkai Leng: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
Xuguang Ge: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
Xiaodong Wu: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
Haoran Liu: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
Guiying Lin: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
Zhi Huang: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China
Yuhan Chen: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: Increased urbanization and industrialization globally have led to the widespread pollution of water bodies (e.g., lakes) by heavy metals (HMs) and nutrients. These pollutants accumulate in water and surface sediments, posing risks to both aquatic organisms and human health. In November 2022, surface sediment samples from three lakes—Lianhua Lake, Mati Lake, and North Lake—were collected to assess nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) and HM content. Total N (TN), total P (TP), and HM concentrations were analyzed. The pollution status was evaluated using comprehensive pollution index (FF) methods and the potential ecological risk index (RI) ( E r i ). The results were as follows: (1) Variations in nutrient and HM contents were observed among the three lakes. Lianhua Lake exhibited the highest average TN content (1600 mg/kg), while North Lake had the highest average TP content (2230 mg/kg). The average concentrations of Cd, Hg, and As in the surface sediment surpassed the soil background values of Hubei Province, reaching 1.41, 2.74, and 1.76 times the background values, respectively. Notably, Hg exceeded the standard in Lianhua Lake by 3.39 times, followed by North Lake (2.52 times) and Mati Lake (2.24 times). (2) The FF and potential E r i revealed that the average RI values for Mati Lake, North Lake, and Lianhua Lake were 106.88, 126.63, and 162.18, respectively. These indices categorized the ecological risk levels as moderate, while nutrient salts in the surface water reached a severe pollution level. (3) Correlation and PCA indicated that Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ni were linked to mineral smelting, aquaculture feed, and agricultural fertilizers. Hg and nutrient salts originated from atmospheric deposition of surrounding domestic waste water and traffic exhaust gases. Agricultural activities seemed to contribute to As concentration in the lakes, while Cr has its main origin in the weathering of the rock matrix.

Keywords: nitrogen; phosphorous; heavy metals; comprehensive pollution index; potential ecological risk index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/6/2252/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/6/2252/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:6:p:2252-:d:1353309

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().