The porewater nutrient and heavy metal characteristics in sediment cores and their benthic fluxes in Daya Bay, South China

Characteristics and fractionations of sediment oxygen demand in a complex tidal river network area

Tidal river networks are affected by the tide and influenced by complex factors related to sediment oxygen demand (SOD). In this study, we used chemical inhibition to measure the oxygen consumption of different types of SOD to explore the specific oxygen consumption mechanism of sediments. Then, we evaluated the diffusion fluxes of the sediment-water interface and factors affecting SOD using diffusive gradients in thin films. Total SOD in the tidal river network area of the Pearl River basin was ∼0.5928 g/m2/day, which was 8.47% higher than that in the non-tidal river network area but lower than that in black and odorous water reported previously. In the tidal river network area, biological SOD was 15.6% higher in summer than in winter, and the difference in total SOD was greatly influenced by human activity. We observed a significant effect of sediment on SOD in winter, whereas there were no significant correlations between sediment and SOD in summer. Different particle-size distributions lead to different organic matter contents, resulting in different biological SOD ratios between seasons. Our study found that seasonal tidal changes can affect ion exchange at the sediment water interface, leading to changes in SOD.These findings will be of great significance for the study of phenomena associated with low dissolved oxygen in tidal river networks and provide directions for future sediment pollution control.

Spatial variability of nitrogen cycling in the sediments of the Danshuie River Estuary (Northern Taiwan)

Dissolved N species, TOC and total N (TN) in sediment cores (SC) collected from an eutrophic estuary were analyzed to understand the N geochemical variation in SC of the eutrophic estuary. Extremely higher concentrations of ammonium (6550 μM) and DON (2050 μM) were observed in pore water of the upper estuary and both concentrations generally accounted for 65-99 % and 1-34 % of the dissolved total N pool, respectively, in the three sediment pore waters. The DON and TN concentrations decreased with increasing depth in SC of the upper estuary, opposite the ammonium profile, suggesting that the mineralization of DON and TN provided the ammonium source to the SC. While, the TN mineralization was more profound than the DON mineralization in SC of the middle and lower estuary. The mineralization rate of DON and TN obviously differed from the different depth intervals of the three SC.

Metals profile in deep-sea sediment from an active tectonic region around Simeulue Island, Aceh, Indonesia

Simeulue waters are adjacent to the northern part of Sumatra Island, which is undergoing massive land-use transformations; moreover, the waters are located in an active tectonic region. Land changes and tectonic activity might affect the metal pollution profile in this deep sea area. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the vertical profile and assess the sediment quality from the deep-sea marine sediment around Simeulue Island based on metal concentration. Seventy-six bottom sediment samples were collected from eight cores at a water depth of up to 2800 m in the Simeulue waters, Indonesia, in November 2017. Metals Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn were quantified from the cores and multivariate analyses were carried out to understand the process. Metals distributions are analogous to the grain size parameters and LOI₅₅₀ distribution pattern, while Sumatra and Simeulue islands influenced grain size and LOI₅₅₀ spatial distribution. The vertical grain size profile exhibited no extreme oscillation in the investigated cores. Thus, sediment transport from the Island was the main suspect for these metals' profiles in the deep water, and the tectonic activity had a minor impact. Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn tend to rise in the collected cores, suggesting that the accumulation of the metals is growing. While Fe tended to be stable and Cd oscillated in the cores. Indices were computed to assess the metal contamination profile. The cores were dominated by EF class 1 (none to slight enrichment) status and I_geo class 1 (unpolluted). Cd was the metal of concern in the study since a high Cd was observed in some layers (maximum EF = 26.45 and maximum I_geo = 3.81). Thus, this study can be used as a database to improve the regulation formulation for improved environmental managerial efforts in the region.

Anthropogenic impacts on the temporal variation of heavy metals in Daya Bay (South China)

A detailed study of a sediment core from Daya Bay (South China) has revealed three stages of heavy metal deposition over the past century. Prior to the 1980s, heavy metal concentrations were low with limited influence by human activities. From the 1980s to 2000, metal pollution intensified, and anthropogenic activities, such as oil and petrochemical industries, and fuel combustion, had the greatest direct influence on Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations, whereas atmospheric deposition and mariculture were also contributors to the continued increase in Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni. Since the year 2000, heavy metal concentration has declined and stabilized. It is noteworthy that anthropogenic input of Cu and Pb is ongoing and may result in a moderate pollution risk. Both modified pollution index (MPI) and modified ecological risk (MRI) consistently indicate that the ecological risk in terms of heavy metals in Daya Bay has remained moderate over the past 70 years.

Sink or source? Insights into the behavior of copper and zinc in the sediment porewater of a constructed wetland by peepers

The H-02 free water surface constructed wetland has been applied to remove heavy metals, mainly copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), from wastewater on the Savannah River Site (Aiken, SC, USA). More and more studies focus on the metal behavior between the sediment and the overlying water, which directly reflects the stability of metals after sedimentation in constructed wetlands. This study focused on the biogeochemical pathways in metal bioavailability and remobilization in the sediment after metals were removed from the overlying water. The dialysis sampling device (peeper) was used to collect porewater samples from eight depths in the sediment for the measurement of Cu, Zn, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and major anions (sulfate and chloride). Surface water samples were also collected for the measurement of Cu, Zn, DOC, and anions. Different temporal trends were observed for dissolved Cu between the surface and bottom waters, but not for dissolved Zn. There were no obvious changes in porewater metal concentrations with increasing depths in the sediment. Sediment served as a sink for Cu as only 3% of porewater samples showed higher labile Cu concentrations than the surface water during the entire year, and these samples were collected below the sediment-water interface. However, sediment served as a source for Zn in summer and winter as 32% of porewater samples showed higher labile Zn concentrations than the surface water, and these samples were collected at all sediment depths. We think the seasonal changes in the behaviors of Cu and Zn are primarily controlled by the sulfur dynamics and the metal removal processes in the constructed wetland, as well as the different complexing chemistry between Cu and Zn. Also, our study supports that peeper is a powerful tool for studying the biogeochemistry of metals in the sediment.

In situ high-resolution two-dimensional profiles of redox sensitive metal mobility in sediment-water interface and porewater from estuarine sediments

Metals in contaminated sediments may present high environmental risks and ecological threats to benthic organisms. Redox sensitive elements with different oxidation states show variations in solubility as a function of redox status of the sediment water environment. The novel high-resolution ZrO-Chelex-AgI diffusive gradients in thin film (HR-ZCA DGT) technique provided sensitive in situ mapping of metals in the estuarine sediments. The present study investigated the sub-millimeter two-dimensional distributions of DGT-labile S(-II), P(V), and six redox sensitive metals (Fe, Mn, V, Cu, Ni, and Zn) across sediment-water interface (SWI) severely influenced by anthropogenic activity. We for the first time used the V-turning value (the V/Fe ratios at ~0.03) to accurately identify the actual SWI. The diffusion boundary layer (DBL) thickness of Ni, Cu and Zn was consistent with those identified by the dissolved oxygen microelectrode method, and was 3-6 mm above the SWI. No significant release of dissolved Fe and P from sediments into the overlying water was found by diffusion process. The estimated fluxes (F_dif) of Ni, Cu, and Zn at DBL were 4.0-176, -1.1-235, and 5.0-108 μg m^-2 d^-1, respectively, and were significantly higher in sediments near the industrial effluent dumping sites than those in sediments impacted by domestic wastewater releases. Metal diffusion flux was mainly controlled by the particulate matter on the surface sediment and organic degradation. Traditional diffusion flux may have underestimated the flux of metals from the surface sediments. The discharge of hypoxic tributary was an important source of metal pollution in the contaminated estuarine sediments.

Heavy metal characteristics in porewater profiles, their benthic fluxes, and toxicity in cascade reservoirs of the Lancang River, China

The construction of cascade reservoirs on the Lancang River (the upper Mekong) has an important influence on the distribution and accumulation of heavy metals. Heavy metal contents in porewater provide vital information about their bioavailability, studies on this aspect are rare until now. In this study, sediment cores were collected from four adjacent cascade reservoirs in the upper Mekong River to study the distribution, potential sources, diffusive fluxes and toxicity of heavy metals in porewater. The findings indicated that the average contents of Mn, Fe, As, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in the sediment porewater were 6442, 644, 11.50, 2.62, 1.23, 3.95, 0.031, and 0.24 µg/L, respectively; these contents varied as the sediment depth increased. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis showed that Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were mainly associated with anthropogenic sources, As, Mn and Fe were primarily affected by natural inputs, and Ni was affected by a combination of natural and anthropogenic effects. The diffusive fluxes of Mn, Fe, As, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in the cascade reservoirs of the Lancang River were 919 - 35,022, 2.12 - 2881, 0.17 - 750, 0.71 - 7.70, 2.30 - 31.18, (-3.35) - 6.40, 0.06 - 0.54, and (-0.52) - 4.08 µg/(m² day), respectively. The results of toxic units suggested that the contamination and toxicity of heavy metals in porewater were not serious. Overall, in the cascade reservoirs, the content and toxicity of heavy metals in porewater of the upstream reservoirs were higher than that of the downstream reservoirs. The operation of the cascade reservoirs enabled greater accumulation of contaminants in sediments of the upstream reservoirs. This research gives strong support for the prevention of heavy metal contamination and the sustainability of water resources under the running condition of cascade reservoirs on such a large international river (the Lancang-Mekong River).

The biological uptake of dissolved iron in the changing Daya Bay, South China Sea: Effect of pH and DO

The oceanic acidification and coastal hypoxia have potential to enhance biological uptake of dissolved iron (Fe) by phytoplankton. In this study, the Fe uptake rate (FeUR) in Daya Bay was significantly negatively correlated with pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) (r = -0.81 and -0.73, respectively, p < 0.001). In addition, binary regression (FeUR = -1.45 × pH - 0.10 × DO + 13.64) also indicated that both pH and DO played key roles in FeUR variations. As pH and DO decreased, Fe uptake by phytoplankton was promoted, and the contribution of nano-phytoplankton to Fe uptake increased significantly, while that of pico-FeUR decreased. These will result in the phytoplankton community to be miniaturized and Fe requirement of phytoplankton goes higher, thereby leading changes of phytoplankton composition and coastal ecosystem. This study helps to understand how Fe could affect the coastal ecosystem under the increasing anthropogenic influences.

Nutrient exchanges at the sediment-water interface and the responses to environmental changes in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

Release from the sediment is an important nutrient source to the water column of global oceans, especially for marginal seas with active biogeochemical processes. Benthic nutrient biogeochemistry and its responses to environmental changes were investigated in the eastern marginal seas of China using a two-layer diffusion-advection-reaction diagenetic model. Overall, the sediment represented the primary nutrient source with fluxes of ~-342 ± 197, -1.25 ± 0.50, and -114 ± 56 × 10⁸ mol/month for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), phosphate, and silicate, respectively. This could contribute up to ~42% of nutrients requested by primary production (PP), with a DIN/SiO₃^2-/PO₄^3- molar ratio of 273:91:1, which was higher than that in the overlying water (49:47:1). Future benthic nutrient fluxes were predicted under two environmental change scenarios (increasing and decreasing PP and biogenic silica). Our study may help rebuild nutrient budgets in the future and formulate environmental management policies in marginal seas.

Release of heavy metals under pre-set redox potentials in Musa estuary sediments, northwestern of Persian Gulf

Sediments are capable of adsorbing and desorbing heavy metals (HMs) under various environmental conditions. This study investigated the impact of pre-set redox potential (Eh) on the release dynamics of HMs (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) from sediment in an automated biogeochemical microcosm. The release of Co, Pb, and V under reducing conditions increased that may increase the potential risks in the aquatic environment. This phenomenon could be attributed to the decrease in pH, the reductive dissolution of FeMn oxides, and the complex of HMs with dissolved organic carbon (DOC). However, the soluble Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn decreased at redox potentials as low as -150 mV. Co, Ni, Pb, and Zn were observed in mobile fractions while Cu primarily existed in the residual fraction (indicating lithogenic source). HPI and HEI indexes showed that water quality concerning HMs would become more unsuitable for aquatic life by reducing Eh.

Long-term changes of nutrients and biocenoses indicating the anthropogenic influences on ecosystem in Jiaozhou Bay and Daya Bay, China

Long-term changes of nutrients, plankton and macrobenthos were studied to research the transformation of ecosystem in Jiaozhou Bay and Daya Bay in the past 30 years. Concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate increased with significant changes in nutrient compositions and ratios. Concentrations of Chl a slightly decreased in Jiaozhou Bay but increased in Daya Bay. Phytoplankton abundances increased and diatoms were dominant, however, dinoflagellate gradually had the competitive advantage under high N/P and N/Si in the two bays. Zooplankton biomass significantly increased in Jiaozhou Bay, but only increased slightly in Daya Bay over the past years. Polychaetes were dominant in macrobenthos in the bays, indicating their adaptation to the changing benthic environments. The long-time variations of biocenoses and nutrients reflected that the ecological environments have changed under the influence of anthropogenic activities in the two bays.

Distribution profile of heavy metals and associated contamination trend with the sedimentary environment of Pakistan coast bordering the Northern Arabian Sea

Spatiotemporal distributions of heavy metals (HMs) and their contamination status linked with the sedimentary environment were investigated in 2 monitoring years (MY-I and MY-II) along the Pakistan coast. The concentrations of HMs in sediments were analyzed through an atomic absorption spectrometer and presented the following order: Fe > Zn > Cu > Pb ≈ Cr > Ni > Co > Cd in MY-I and Fe > Cr > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Co > Cd in MY-II. In the coastal sediments, all HMs surpassed the edges of shale values and sediment quality guidelines, excluding Fe. The burial flux (F_B), mass inventory (M_I), and deposition flux (F_D) of HMs were evaluated and compared to explore the potential of sediments to adsorb and desorb the metals into the marine environment during the last decade. Metal-specific pollution indices (I_geo, EF, C_f, and E_r) presented moderate contamination of Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, and Co but considerable contamination of Pb and Cd in sediments. However, site-specific geoindicators (CD, RI, and PLI) signified the Sandspit as the highest polluted site along the coastal vicinity. Multivariate analyses via principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) also highlighted the significant interactions between geochemical properties. The current study concluded the high pollution state toward the HMs and rendered the knowledge for policymaking and conserving the coastal and estuarine environment of Pakistan bordering the Northern Arabian Sea.

Distribution and potential provenance of trace elements in a 120-year dated sediment core from west Daya Bay, northeastern South China Sea

Eighteen trace elements were analyzed in a 120-year sediment core from Daya Bay. Burial flux history and potential provenance, the relationships among trace elements, and biogenic compositions were analyzed for determining the trend and extent of trace element accumulation and identifying corresponding anthropogenic effects. Additionally, the effects of anthropogenic activities on Daya Bay were reconstructed, and a baseline/background estimation was provided for Daya Bay. The burial fluxes of V, Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Pb, Hg, Zn, Mo, Ag, As, Se, and Tl increased from 1960 to 2010, especially after the late 1980s. Our results are useful for understanding pollution and land-sea interactions along the coasts of the South China Sea, especially in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Multiphase distribution and migration characteristics of heavy metals in typical sandy intertidal zones: insights from solid-liquid partitioning

With the increase of development and utilization of coastal tidal flats, the desertification of intertidal zone is becoming more and more serious, which will inevitably lead to changes in the distribution and migration of heavy metals. This study reported the multiphase distribution and solid-liquid partitioning of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in typical sandy intertidal zones and predicted the migration of heavy metals with stepwise multiple linear regression. The distribution of heavy metals in surface water was comparable with that in pore water, while the content of heavy metals in suspended solids was obviously greater than that in sediments. Compared to non-sandy sediments, the bioavailability state of heavy metals extracted from sandy sediments by diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid was much smaller. The mean partitioning coefficient values (K_d) ranged from 21.56 to 166.18, which were 10-40 times lower than those of organic-rich sediments and 100-750 times lower than those of mineral soils. The dynamics in solid clay, SOC and ORP greatly affected the variations of K_d values. Clay had a significant positive correlation with bioavailability but did not have a significant correlation with logK_d, indicating that the adsorption capacity of heavy metals in the intertidal zone is not the only factor controlling heavy metal migration. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that the prediction equations of heavy metals are composed of multiple physicochemical factors. All predicted and tested values were of the same order of magnitude, with R² values ranging from 0.8223 to 0.9775. Although our data focus on a single species of sandy intertidal zone, characterizing the K_d value and its relationship with site-specific factors provides different tools for assessing the probability of heavy metal contamination and migration in sandy intertidal zones.

Distribution of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Pore Water Profiles and Estimation of Their Diffusive Fluxes and Annual Loads in Guanting Reservoir (GTR), Northern China

Improvement of water quality has frequently been delayed due to high recycling rates of nutrients across the sediment-water interface in a reservoir. Diffusive fluxes and annual loads of ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) and phosphate (PO₄^3--P) in sediments from Guanting Reservoir (GTR) were estimated according to their vertical distribution. The average contents of NH₄⁺-N and PO₄^3--P in surface pore water were higher by factors of 6.9 - 11.7 and 1.3 - 6.4 than those in overlying water, respectively. The ranges of fluxes were 1.59 - 13.0 (mg m² d^-1) for NH₄⁺-N, and 0.002 - 0.196 (mg m² d^-1) for PO₄^3--P. The annual load contributions from sediments of GTR were 659 t a^-1 for NH₄⁺-N and 4.83 t a^-1 for PO₄^3--P. Notably, the upstream of GTR accounted for 50.7% annual loads for NH₄⁺-N, while the downstream contributed 71.2% loads to PO₄^3--P. This study will better inform future environmental management for the reservoir.

Pollutant toxicology with respect to microalgae and cyanobacteria

Microalgae and cyanobacteria are fundamental components of aquatic ecosystems. Pollution in aquatic environment is a worldwide problem. Toxicological research on microalgae and cyanobacteria can help to establish a solid foundation for aquatic ecotoxicological assessments. Algae and cyanobacteria occupy a large proportion of the biomass in aquatic environments; thus, their toxicological responses have been investigated extensively. However, the depth of toxic mechanisms and breadth of toxicological investigations need to be improved. While existing pollutants are being discharged into the environment daily, new ones are also being produced continuously. As a result, the phenomenon of water pollution has become unprecedentedly complex. In this review, we summarize the latest findings on five kinds of aquatic pollutants, namely, metals, nanomaterials, pesticides, pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Further, we present information on emerging pollutants such as graphene, microplastics, and ionic liquids. Efforts in studying the toxicological effects of pollutants on microalgae and cyanobacteria must be increased in order to better predict the potential risks posed by these materials to aquatic ecosystems as well as human health.

Distribution of Geochemical Fractions of Phosphorus in Surface Sediment in Daya Bay, China

Surface sediment samples were collected from 19 sites throughout Daya Bay, China, to study the concentrations, and spatial distributions of different fractions of phosphorus through sequential extraction methods. Like many coastal and marine areas, De-P was the dominant form of P, contributing 47.5% of TP, followed by O-P, contributing 25.5% of TP. Ex-P and Fe-P contribute the lowest to TP. The concentration of sedimentary TP ranged from 290.3~525.1 µg/g, with the average of 395.3 µg/g, which was a similar range to other estuaries and coastal areas. Based on the spatial distribution, Pearson correlation and Principal component analysis, different fractions of phosphorus showed different spatial distributions due to different sources. The molar ratio of organic carbon to phosphorus (TOC/O-P) ranged from 199 to 609, with the average of 413, which was much higher than the Redfield ratio, suggesting terrestrial sources of organic matter in Daya Bay surface sediment. The average bioavailable phosphorus was 149.6 µg/g and contributed 37.8% (24.6~56.0%) of TP, indicating that the surface sediments of Day Bay act as an important internal source of P.

Experimental Study on the Effects of a Vertical Jet Impinging on Soft Bottom Sediments

Artificial downwelling, which is an ecological engineering method, potentially alleviates bottom hypoxia by bringing oxygen-rich surface water down below the pycnocline. However, the downward flow is likely to disturb sediments (or induce sediment resuspension) when reaching the bottom and then have unwanted side effects on the local ecosystem. To evaluate this, our paper presents a theoretical model and experimental data for the sediment resuspension caused by artificial downwelling. The theoretical model considers the critical conditions for sediment resuspension and the scour volume with the downwelling flow disturbing sediment. Experiments with altered downwelling flow speeds, discharge positions relative to the bottom, and particle sizes of sediment were conducted in a water tank, and the results were consistent with our theoretical model. The results show that the critical Froude number (hereinafter Fr) for sediment resuspension is 0.5. The prevention of sediment resuspension requires the downwelling flow speed and the discharge position to be adjusted so that Fr < 0.5; otherwise a portion of sediment is released into the water and its volume can be predicted by the derived formulation based on the Shields theory. Furthermore, sediment resuspension has side effects, such as a water turbidity increase and phosphorus release, the magnitudes of which are discussed with respect to engineering parameters. Further study will focus on field experiments of artificial downwelling and its environmental impacts.

Numerical Studies on the Suitable Position of Artificial Upwelling in a Semi-Enclosed Bay

Ecological engineering by artificial upwelling is considered a promising way to improve water quality. Artificial upwelling could lift nutrient-rich bottom water to the surface, enhance seaweed growth and consequently increase nutrient removal from seawater. However, one of the major obstacles of the engineering application is to determine the suitable position of ecological engineering, which is critical for artificial upwelling’s performance. In this paper, potential artificial upwelling positions in a semi-closed bay are simulated by using the unstructured-grid Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). The results show that the upwelling position with relative small tidal current and close to corner will be helpful to increasing nutrient concentration of surface water, and be appropriate to build the ecological engineering. With proper design of the ecological engineering, it is possible to have a noticeable impact in semi-closed bay. Thus, artificial upwelling has the potential to succeed as a promising way to alleviate the eutrophication.

Bioaccumulation and health risk assessment of heavy metals to bivalve species in Daya Bay (South China Sea): Consumption advisory

Bivalves are one of the key components of the biogeochemical cycle in the marine system, and respond to heavy metal (HM) sensitively as filter feeders. To determine relationship of HMs in edible bivalve and seawater and HM effects on human health when digesting bivalves, HMs were analyzed in bivalves and seawater. The results showed that the mean HM concentrations in bivalves decreased in the order of Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > As > Cd > Hg. Generally, all the bioconcentration factor values of bivalves were higher than 100, suggesting that bivalves have a high bioaccumulation ability. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis indicated that all bivalves have a high bioaccumulation capacity for Cu and Zn. It was found that there are health risks associated with consuming bivalves, and children are more vulnerable than adults. Finally, the maximum allowable consumption rates of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk were determined. These results provide the underlying insights needed to guide the consumption of seafood.

Concentrations of porewater heavy metals, their benthic fluxes and the potential ecological risks in Daya Bay, South China

Heavy metal (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) concentrations in surface sediment porewater and their benthic fluxes were investigated in Daya Bay, South China, to study their accumulation and transfer at the sediment-water interface, as well as the impact of human activities on heavy metals. Heavy metals in porewater displayed different patterns in three partitions (top, center and inlet), which was mainly attributed to the difference in the biogeochemical conditions, hydrodynamic force inner the bay and the human activities along the bay. Ecological risk assessment results showed that heavy metals in porewater dramatically exceeded the background values. The average release of heavy metals from sediment were (6.1 ± 3.3) × 10⁴-(2.7 ± 1.6) × 10⁸ g a^-1 in the bay, so they had potential risks to the water environment, and sediment should be paid more attention to as the endogenesis of contamination.

Metal/metalloid and phosphorus characteristics in porewater associated with manganese geochemistry: A case study in the Jiulong River Estuary, China

Sediment porewater can be an important source of contaminants in the overlying water, but the mechanisms of metal(loid) and phosphorus (P) remobilization remain to be investigated. In this study, high-resolution dialysis (HR-Peeper) and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) samplers were used to determine the porewater dissolved iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), selenium (Se), arsenic (As), P and DGT-Labile S in coastal sediments in the Jiulong River Estuary (JRE), China. The results showed that high concentrations of dissolved Mn, Se and P were present in the overlying water, indicating potential water pollution with excessive amounts of Mn, Se and P. The dissolved Mn concentrations in the porewater were higher than the dissolved Fe concentrations, especially at submerged sites, demonstrating that Mn(III/IV) reduction is the dominant diagenetic pathway for organic carbon (OC) degradation, which directly affects Fe cycling by the competitive inhibition of Fe(III) reduction and Fe(II) reoxidation. Dissolved Co, Cr, V, Se, As and P show significant positive correlations with Mn but nearly no correlations with Fe, suggesting that the mobility of these metal(loid)s and P is associated with Mn but not Fe cycling in this region. In addition, the coelevated concentrations of the metal(loid)s, P and Mn at the submerged sites are attributed to the strengthened Mn reduction coupled with OC degradation fueled by hypoxia. The higher positive diffusion fluxes of Mn, Se and P were consistent with the excess Mn, Se and P concentrations in the overlying water, together with the approximately positive fluxes of the other metal(loid)s, indicating that sediment Mn(III/IV) reduction and concomitant metal(loid) and P remobilization might be vital pathways for metal(loid) and P migration to the overlying water.

Nutrient Removal from Chinese Coastal Waters by Large-Scale Seaweed Aquaculture Using Artificial Upwelling

Ecological engineering by artificial upwelling for enhancing seaweed growth and consequently increasing nutrient removal from seawater has proved promising in combating intense coastal eutrophication. However, a key issue needs to be answered: how much economic and ecological benefit could this engineering bring if it were to be implemented in national aquaculture areas. This study estimated the promoting effect of nutrient concentration change induced by artificial upwelling on kelp growth using a model simulation based on the temperature, light intensity, and nutrient concentration data from three bays in Shandong Province, China— Aoshan Bay, Jiaozhou Bay, and Sanggou Bay. Our results indicate that ecological engineering by artificial upwelling can increase the average yield of kelp by 55 g per plant. Furthermore, based on the current existing kelp aquaculture area of China and the aquaculture density of 12 plants/m2, we inferred that this ecological engineering could increase the natural kelp yield by 291,956 t and the removal of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutrients by 4875–6422 t and 730–1080 t, respectively.

Groundwater-driven nutrient inputs to coastal lagoons: The relevance of lagoon water recirculation as a conveyor of dissolved nutrients

Evaluating the sources of nutrient inputs to coastal lagoons is required to understand the functioning of these ecosystems and their vulnerability to eutrophication. Whereas terrestrial groundwater processes are increasingly recognized as relevant sources of nutrients to coastal lagoons, there are still limited studies evaluating separately nutrient fluxes driven by terrestrial groundwater discharge and lagoon water recirculation through sediments. In this study, we assess the relative significance of these sources in conveying dissolved inorganic nutrients (NO₃^-, NH₄⁺ and PO₄^3-) to a coastal lagoon (La Palme lagoon; France, Mediterranean Sea) using concurrent water and radon mass balances. The recirculation of lagoon water through sediments represents a source of NH₄⁺ (1900-5500 mol d^-1) and PO₄^3- (22-71 mol d^-1), but acts as a sink of NO₃^-. Estimated karstic groundwater-driven inputs of NO₃^-, NH₄⁺ and PO₄^3- to the lagoon are on the order of 200-1200, 1-12 and 1.5-8.7 mol d^-1, respectively. A comparison between the main nutrient sources to the lagoon (karstic groundwater, recirculation, diffusion from sediments, inputs from a sewage treatment plant and atmospheric deposition) reveals that the recirculation of lagoon water through sediments is the main source of both dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorous (DIP) to La Palme lagoon. These results are in contrast with several studies conducted in systems influenced by terrestrial groundwater inputs, where groundwater is often assumed to be the main pathway for dissolved inorganic nutrient loads. This work highlights the important role of lagoon water recirculation through permeable sediments as a major conveyor of dissolved nutrients to coastal lagoons and, thus, the need for a sound understanding of the recirculation-driven nutrient fluxes and their ecological implications to sustainably manage lagoonal ecosystems.

One-century sedimentary record of heavy metal pollution in western Taihu Lake, China

Long-term trends of sediment compositions are important for assessing the impact of human activities on the sediment and protecting the sediment environment. In this study, based on the contents of heavy metals and the Pb isotope ratios in lake sediments, atmospheric dustfall and soil in Yixing, China, the representative heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd) in lake sediments from western Taihu Lake were studied. The evolution history of heavy metals in the local environment was constructed for the past 100 years. From 1892 to the 1990s, the anthropogenic fluxes of the representative heavy metals were negligible, indicating minimal anthropogenic emissions of heavy metals. Since the 1990s, anthropogenic fluxes of the representative heavy metals began to increase, concurrent with the economic growth and development in the western Taihu Lake Basin after the Chinese economic reform. The maximum flux percentage of the heavy metals in the sediments, caused by human activities, is 23.0% for Zn, 31.6% for Pb, 39.5% for Cr and 85.3% for Cd, indicating that most of the Cd comes from human activities. The Cd content in the western Taihu Lake Basin was significantly higher than that in the other areas, and the rapid development of the industry in the western Taihu Lake Basin and ceramics in Yixing led to the enrichment of heavy metals in local sediments. Since the 21st century, measures have been taken to control the pollution of heavy metals, including the increase in local government attention and the deployment of environmental monitoring technology. However, heavy metal content remains high, and the Pb content is still increasing. The ratios of Pb isotopes show that the main sources of heavy metals in the western Taihu Lake sediments, the local soil of Yixing and the atmospheric dustfall are coal combustion, leaded gasoline combustion, industrial wastewater and domestic sewage.

Mobility of metal(loid)s at the sediment-water interface in two tourist port areas of the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea)

One of the main environmental issues affecting coastal marine environments is the accumulation of contaminants in sediments and their potential mobility. In situ benthic chamber experiments were conducted at two tourist ports (marinas) located in the Gulf of Trieste, one in Slovenia and one in Italy. The aim was to understand if and where recycling at the sediment-water interface (SWI) may affect metal(loid)s. Short sediment cores were also collected near the chamber to investigate the solid (sediments) and dissolved phases (porewaters). Both diffusive and benthic fluxes were estimated to elucidate the release of metal(loid)s at the SWI. Total element concentrations and their labile fractions were determined in sediments to quantify their potential mobility. The total element contents were found to be two orders of magnitude higher in the Italian marina than in the Slovenian one, especially for Hg (up to 1000 mg kg^-1), whereas the labile fraction was scarce or null. The opposite occurred in the Slovenian marina. Metal(loid)s in porewaters showed a clear diagenetic sequence and a close dependence upon the suboxic/anoxic conditions of sediments. The results suggest that although the sediments of the Italian marina exhibit the highest total metal(loid) concentration, these elements are scarcely remobilisable. Conversely, in the Slovenian marina, sediments seem to be comparatively more prone to release metal(loid)s at the SWI.

Assessment of Cr pollution in tributary sediment cores in the Three Gorges Reservoir combining geochemical baseline and in situ DGT

The mobility and transfer of trace metals in sediments are vital to understanding trace metals environmental behavior in water environment. However, as a predominant aquatic carcinogen, an effective method for assessing the release and deposition for Cr at the sediment-water interface (SWI) is still not clearly understood. Here we established a comprehensive methodology to evaluate the release risk of Cr at the SWI combining regional geochemical baseline (RGB) and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT). Sediment cores and water samples were collected in the two tributaries and mainstream of the Three Gorges Reservoir, which is the world's largest man-made hydroelectric station. Results showed that the calculated Cr carcinogenic risks in surface water did not exceed US EPA maximum recommended level. The RGB of Cr (85.53 ± 14.44 mg/kg) were calculated and the differentials between Cr concentration and RGB in surface sediments showed the average anthropogenic contribution rate was 6.03% and the upstream of Meixi River (MX-S) and mainstream were influenced by anthropogenic activities. The net diffusive flux using DGT showed that Cr in the midstream of Caotang River and MX had the potential to move upwards into the overlying water. Furthermore, combining the results of differential (Cr concentration vs. RGB) and the net flux, MX-S was the only site with a risk of Cr release. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to combine RGB and DGT to scientifically assess metal release at SWI and provided a new perspective to comprehensively assess metal pollution in water environment.

Atmospheric deposition of trace elements to Daya Bay, South China Sea: Fluxes and sources

This study was conducted from October 2015 to March 2017, with the aim of providing the first data on the fluxes and sources of wet and dry deposition of trace elements (TEs) in Daya Bay, South China Sea. Wet deposition flux of TEs was always preponderant and orders of magnitude higher than that of dry deposition owing to the high rainfall frequency in Daya Bay. The total deposition fluxes of TEs in the target area were higher than in most places worldwide, but at a moderate level within China. Wet deposition was highest in summer and lowest in winter, whereas dry deposition showed an opposite seasonal trend. The main sources of TEs in wet deposition were seasalt/dust, fossil fuel combustion, and crustal sources, and in dry deposition, they were dust/metallurgic, fossil fuel, petrochemical industry and crustal sources.