ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN SEDIMENT CORES COLLECTED IN HAI DUONG’S RIVERS

Abstract

     This study presents the assessment of environmental risk of heavy metals in the sediment cores of rivers system in Hai Duong province by analyzing risk assessment factors including contamination factor CF, risk assessment code RAC as well as Sediment Quality Guidelines SQGs and calculating pseudo-partitioning coefficient (Kd). From these results, Cu, Pb, Cd and Mn have been found that they were appeared to have weak affinities with sediments, thus being more mobile. The strong mobile tendency of Cd, Cu and Pb was in agreement with their sediment speciation, where these metals had considerable portions in the labile phase that can equilibriate with the aqueous phase. Nevertheless, Cr, Ni and Fe apparently revealed the lower rate to be released into the water phase. The environmental risk assessments suggested that Cd, Mn, Cu, Pb pose a higher environmental risk, threat to the aquatic biota and are mostly contributed from anthropogenic inputs. Conversely, Cr, Ni and Fe are highlighted by lithogenic sources.

Keywords: environmental risk, heavy metals, geochemical speciation, sediment cores, risk assessment.