Heavy metal pollution in sediment resources may pose serious threat to ecosystem and human health through food web. In this study, surface sediment samples of 10 stations along the Feni River estuary were analyzed to profile the accumulation, sources and pollution levels of heavy metals. The results revealed that the average contents (μg g⁻¹) of eight selected heavy metals followed the order of Mn (37.85) > Cr (35.28) > Ni (33.27) > Co (31.02) > Pb (6.47) > Ag (1.09) > As (0.85) > Hg (0.71), and the concentrations varied spatially and seasonally with relatively higher levels at upward stations and during the rainy season. According to sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), the sediment samples were heavily contaminated with Ag and Hg, and moderately with Co. Threshold effect concentration (TEC) and probable effect concentration (PEC) values indicated that the concentration of only Ni and Cr were likely to occasionally exhibit adverse effects on the ecosystem. Enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (I_geo) and contamination factor (CF) analyses revealed that Ag, Co and Hg were at moderate to high pollution levels and the rests (As, Cr, Ni, Pb and Mn) were at no to low pollution levels. Potential ecological risk index (PERI) also showed that Ag, Co and Hg were the most potential ecological risk factor being determined in this studied area. Correlation matrix combined with multivariate principal component analysis and cluster analysis suggest that Ag, Co, Ni and Hg originated from anthropogenic sources (agrochemicals, silver nanoparticles anti-microbial agent, silver plating), whereas As, Cr, Pb and Mn primarily originated from natural geological background.

沉积物资源中的重金属污染可能通过食物网对生态系统和人类健康构成严重威胁。在这项研究中，分析了费尼河河口10个站点的地表沉积物样本，以描绘重金属的积累，来源和污染水平。结果表明，平均含量（μgg ^-1）的八种重金属含量依次为Mn（37.85）> Cr（35.28）> Ni（33.27）> Co（31.02）> Pb（6.47）> Ag（1.09）> As（0.85）> Hg（0.71），浓度在空间和季节上变化，在上升站和雨季期间相对较高。根据沉积物质量指南（SQGs），沉积物样品被Ag和Hg严重污染，被Co中等污染。阈值效应浓度（TEC）和可能效应浓度（PEC）值表明，仅镍和铬的浓度很可能偶尔对生态系统产生不利影响。富集因子（EF），地积累指数（I _geo）和污染因子（CF）分析显示，Ag，Co和Hg处于中等至高污染水平，而其余部分（As，Cr，Ni，Pb和Mn）则没有至低污染水平。潜在的生态风险指数（PERI）也表明，Ag，Co和Hg是该研究区域确定的最潜在的生态风险因子。相关矩阵结合多元主成分分析和聚类分析表明，Ag，Co，Ni和Hg源自人为来源（农药，银纳米颗粒抗微生物剂，镀银），而As，Cr，Pb和Mn主要源自天然地质背景。