Authors

Huu Tuan Do 1*

Affiliations

1 Faculty of Environmental Sciences, VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Vietnam; tuandh@vnu.edu.vn

*Correspondence: tuandh@vnu.edu.vn; Tel.: +84–2438584995

Abstracts

Heavy metals have big impacts on environmental quality and ecological risk. In this research, the Igeo accumulation index and ecological risk index (ERI) were used to assess the heavy metal pollution and ecological risk in the sediment of Cua Luc Bay, Quang Ninh Province. The results indicated that heavy metal concentrations in the study were almost lower than QCVN 43:2017/BTNMT. Only 3 monitored points, S1 (172.87 mg/kg), S3 (147.12 mg/kg), and S4 (115.54 mg/kg), have a light pollution level of Cu (108 mg/kg). The Igeo heavy metal accumulation index indicates that As (1.85), Cu (2.34), and Sb (1.42) are at a moderate level. While Se (3.65), Ag (3.58), and Sn (3.09) are at a high heavy metal level. As and Cu are two major factors posing ecological risk in the region (66.5%). However, the average ERI of all monitored points is 138, indicating that the ecological risk for heavy metals in the region is low. Despite having a low ecological risk for heavy metals in the region, it is necessary to strictly monitor heavy metals in sediment to manage them better in the future.

Keywords

Heavy metals; Ecological risk; Sediment; Heavy metals in sediment; Cua Luc Bay.

Cite this paper

Tuan, D.H. Assessment of heavy metal pollution and ecological risk in the sediment of Cua Luc Bay, Quang Ninh Province. J. Hydro-Meteorol. 2023, 17, 46-54.

References

1. Prasad Ahirvar, B.; Das, P.; Srivastava, V.; Kumar, M. Perspectives of heavy metal pollution indices for soil, sediment, and water pollution evaluation: An insight. Total Environ. Res. Themes. 2023, 6, 100039.
2. Haris, H.; Looi, L.J.; Aris, A.Z.; Mokhtar, N.F.; Ayob, N.A.A.; Yusoff, F.M.; Salleh, A.B.; Praveena, S.M. Geo-accumulation index and contamination factors of heavy metals (Zn and Pb) in urban river sediment. Environ. Geochem. Health 2017, 39(6), 1259–1271.
3. Adel Mashaan Rabee, Y.F.A.F.; Abd-Al-Husain, N.A.; Nameer, M. Using Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Geoaccumulation Index (I-Geo) for the Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution in Tigris River Sediment in Baghdad Region. J. Al-Nahrain Univ. 2011, 14(4), 108–114.
4. Andem, A.B.; Okorafor.; Ama, K.; Oku.; Esien, E.; Ugwumba.; Alex, A. Evaluation and characterization of trace metals contamination in the surface sediment using pollution load index (pli) and geo-accumulation index (igeo) of Ona River, Western Nigeria. Int. J. Sci. Technology Res. 2015, 4(1), 29–34.
5. Hanif, N.; Eqani, S.A.M.A.S.; Ali, S.M.; Cincinelli, A.; Ali, N.; Katsoyiannis, I.A.; Tanveer, Z.I.; Bokhari, H. Geo-accumulation and enrichment of trace metals in sediments and their associated risks in the Chenab River, Pakistan. J. Geochem. Explor. 2016, 165, 62–70.
6. Martínez, L.L.G.; Poleto, C. Assessment of diffuse pollution associated with metals in urban sediments using the geoaccumulation index (Igeo). J. Soils Sediments. 2014, 14(7), 1251–1257.
7. Wardani, N.K.; Prartono, T.; Sulistiono, S. Sediments quality based on geo-accumulation index in heavy metals (Pb, Cu, and Cd) of Cengkok Coastal waters, Banten Bay. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia. 2020, 9(4), 574–582.
8. Ghrefat, H.A.; Abu-Rukah, Y.; Rosen, M.A. Application of geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor for assessing metal contamination in the sediments of Kafrain Dam, Jordan. Environ. Monit. Assess. 2011, 178(1), 95–109.
9. Zahra, A.; Hashmi, M.Z.; Malik, R.N.; Ahmed, Z. Enrichment and geo-accumulation of heavy metals and risk assessment of sediments of the Kurang Nallah–Feeding tributary of the Rawal Lake Reservoir, Pakistan. Sci. Total Environ. 2014, 470-471, 925–933.
10. Bao, K.; Liu, J.L.; You, X.G.; Shi, X.; Meng, B. A new comprehensive ecological risk index for risk assessment on Luanhe River, China. Environ. Geochem. Health. 2018, 40(5), 1965–1978.
11. Lin, G.; Xu, X.; Wang, P.; Liang, S.; Li, Y.; Su, Y.; Li, K.; Wang, X. Methodology for forecast and control of coastal harmful algal blooms by embedding a compound eutrophication index into the ecological risk index. Sci. Total Environ. 2020, 735, 139404.
12. Zhang, H.; Chen, L. Using the Ecological Risk Index Based on Combined Watershed and Administrative Boundaries to Assess Human Disturbances on River Ecosystems. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess.: Int. J. 2014, 20(6), 1590–1607.
13. Thuy, H.T.T.; T.T.C.L.; Vy, N.H.N. Geochemical study of selected heavy metal in the aquatic sediments of Hochiminh City. Sci. Technol. Develop. 2007, 10(1). (In Vietnamese)
14. Anh, D.T.T.; C.V.H. Study on the distribution of heavy metals in sediment under the Cau River Basin. J. Anal. Sci. 2015, 20(4). (In Vietnamese)
15. Duong, P.T.; Tram, H.T.K. Research and evaluate contents of heavy metal in river sediment in the estuary of the Mekong river. J. Sci. Ho Chi Minh Univ. Edu. 2015, 9(75), 119–129. (In Vietnamese)
16. Trinh, L.T.; Trang, K.T.T.; Trung, N.T.; Linh, N.K.; Tham, T.T. Heavy Metal Accumulation and Potential Ecological Risk Assessment of Surface Sediments from Day River Downstream. VNU J. Sci.: Earth Environ. Sci. 2018, 34(4). (In Vietnamese)
17. Loi, V.D.; N.V.; Quan, T.H.; Thuan, Đ.V.; Ha, P.T.T. Speciation of heavy metals in sediment of Tri An lake. J. Anal. Sci. 2015, 20(3). (In Vietnamese)
18. Taiwo, A.M.; Michael, J.O.; Gbadebo, A.M.; Oladoyinbo, F.O. Pollution and health risk assessment of road dust from Osogbo metropolis, Osun state, Southwestern Nigeria. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess.: Int. J. 2020, 26(5), 1254–1269.
19. Wedepohl, H.K. The composition of the continental crust. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 1995, 59(7), 1217–1232.
20. Xu, Z.Q.; Ni, S.; Tuo, X.G.; Zhang, C.J. Calculation of heavy metal’s toxicity coefficient in the evaluation of potential ecological risk index. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2008, 31, 112–115.
21. Hakanson, L. An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach. Water Res. 1980, 14(8), 975–1001.
22. Muller.G. Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the Rhine River. Geo. J. 1969, 2, 108–118.
23. Li, R.; Yuan, Y.; Li, C.; Sun, W.; Yang, M.; Wang, X. Environmental health and ecological risk assessment of soil heavy metal pollution in the coastal cities of estuarine bay–A case study of Hangzhou Bay, China. Toxics 2020, 8(3), 75.
24. Ra, K.; Kim, J.K.; Hong, S.H.; Yim, U.H.; Shim, W.J.; Lee, S.Y.; Kim, Y.O.; Lim, J.; Kim, E.S.; Kim, K.T. Assessment of pollution and ecological risk of heavy metals in the surface sediments of Ulsan Bay, Korea. Ocean Sci. J. 2014, 49(3), 279–289.
25. Tang, H.; Ke, Z.; Yan, M.; Wang, W.; Nie, H.; Li, B.; Zhang, J.; Xu, X.; Wang, J. Concentrations, Distribution, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Daya Bay, China. Water, 2018, 10(6), 780.
26. Ali, M.M.; Islam, M.S.; Islam, A.R.M.T.; Bhuyan, M.S.; Ahmed, A.S.S.; Rahman, M.Z.; Rahman, M.M. Toxic metal pollution and ecological risk assessment in water and sediment at ship breaking sites in the Bay of Bengal Coast, Bangladesh. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 2022, 175, 113274.