ABSTRACT
To understand the heavy metals content such as As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn, as well as their distribution features in surface sediments of tidal flat areas of Eastern China, mathematical statistics, correlation analysis, factor analysis and other statistical methods are used. This study collected 1906 surface sediment samples of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn were collected as part of a systematic research effort. These results show that the coastal tidal flats zone of Eastern China contains surface sediment samples with heavy metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) with is not high but has increased due to anthropogenic sources. The total content of heavy metals in Jiangsu province is low, however, in Shanghai and Zhejiang provinces relatively high heavy metal contents are present. In addition to natural causes, the heavy metal content in coastal sediment in Shanghai and Zhejiang is significantly affected by human activities, while Jiangsu coastal surface sediments has light impacts from human activities. Heavy metal contamination in coastal areas Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces is particularly serious including Hg, Cd, and Cu contamination. The results of an evaluation using the Marine Pollution Sediment Index and Mean Sediment Quality Guidelines show that in Eastern China, the overall sediment pollutant ecological risk is low for Jiangsu and Fujian provinces, however, the ecological risk for the tidal flats of Shanghai and Zhejiang provincial beaches is relatively high due to heavy metal concentrations.
