Distribution and Pollution Assessment of Heavy Metals In Surface Sediment In Yellow River Estuary And The Adjacent Sea Area

Based on the data obtained from the study of the sediment soil sample in Yellow River Estuary and adjacent sea area in May 2011, this study analyzes the distribution characteristics of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Hg, As) in sediments, and evaluate their pollution levels. Results show that the distribution of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd in sediment is in low level and with a quite similar distribution feature. As the two most polluted elements in sediment, the content of Hg is a little lower than As. The heavy metal pollution assessment result shows that: in over half sampling stations, the content of heavy metal exceeds the historical reference value, classified as moderate pollution. Therefore, the potential ecological risk of heavy metals in Yellow River Estuary should be given enough attention.