Distribution Characteristics and Controlling Factors of Soluble Heavy Metals in the Yellow River Estuary and Adjacent Sea

During the investigation in the Yellow River Estuary Sea Area in May 2009, 30 surface sea water samples were taken for soluble heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Hg and As). The average concentrations of the soluble heavy metals in surface seawater were 2.65, 0.51, 37.7, 0.68, 0.013, 0.92 mu g.L-1 respectively. The concentrations of soluble heavy metals decreased from littoral sea area and the Yellow River Estuary to the central sea area, which reflected obviously affects of human activities, Yellow River and the land source pollution. Except at some particular stations, most concentration values of heavy metals did not exceed those of the primary standard of Seawater Quality Standard of China. Zn pollution is more serious than other heavy metals, which exceed the primary standard but lower than the secondary standard. Compared with other typical seas, the heavy metal concentration of the Yellow River Estuary is lower than that in the Jiaozhou Bay, but higher than the North Yellow Sea, the South Yellow Sea, and the South Sea. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.