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Application of DGT/DIFS combined with BCR to assess the mobility and release risk of heavy metals in the sediments of Nansi Lake, China

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Abstract

The heavy metal contamination of the aquatic ecosystem is still prevalent even after reduction of the external anthropogenic inputs of the metals. The release of labile heavy metals from the sediments into the water is a potential risk, responsible for the contamination of the aquatic system. Herein, samples of sedimentary column cores were collected in Nansi Lake, and the distribution profiles of the labile and soluble metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were obtained by the diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) and the high-resolution dialysis (HR-peeper) technique. Furthermore, the mobility, bioavailability and release risk of the heavy metals were assessed using the results of geochemical sequential extraction, DGT as well as the DGT-induced fluxes in sediments (DIFS) model. The results showed that the profile characteristics of the DGT-labile and soluble heavy metals showed irregular distribution in the sediment cores and Cd, Pb, Zn had an obvious positive correlation with Fe/Mn (p < 0.05). Ni, Cu, and Zn existed primarily in the residual fraction (accounting for 58–76%), while Cd and Pb existed in the reducible fraction (accounting for 50–67%). The Cd and Ni (0.027–0.185) had higher mobility coefficients compared with Pb, Cu, and Zn (0–0.011), and positive diffusive fluxes also proved that Cd and Ni were easy to be released from the sediments. In addition, the R values of five metals (0.18–0.85) ranged between Rdiff to 0.95, indicating that all the metals had partially sustained case from the sediments solid phase. Based on the DIFS model, the five metals had weak mobility from the sediment to pore water, but the release risks in the Nansi Lake should also be of concern, especially for the highly mobile Cd and Ni in the Dushan Lake.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by Key R&D plan of Shandong province in 2019 (Public Welfare Project) (2019GSF110016), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2016DM10).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China

    Min Zhang, Cai Li, Liyuan Yang & Xin Ma

  2. State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Cai Li & Shiming Ding

  3. SHUIFA Planning & Design Co., Ltd, Jinan, 250100, China

    You Zhang & Tingting Zhao

  4. Shandong Lake Basin Management and Informationize Engineering Technology Research Center, Jinan, 250000, China

    You Zhang & Tingting Zhao

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  1. Min Zhang
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  2. Cai Li
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  3. Liyuan Yang
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  5. Xin Ma
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Zhang, M., Li, C., Yang, L. et al. Application of DGT/DIFS combined with BCR to assess the mobility and release risk of heavy metals in the sediments of Nansi Lake, China. Environ Geochem Health 42, 3765–3778 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-020-00638-8

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