Seasonal and Spatial Variation in Dissolved Heavy Metals in Liaodong Bay, China

Spatial-seasonal variations in dissolved heavy metals in surface seawater were analyzed based on surveys at 87 sampling sites and water samples from six rivers across Liaodong Bay. The concentrations of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) had ranges of 0.20-40.00 (5.45 ± 5.67), 0.51-33.64 (4.68 ± 3.93), 0.03-13.47 (2.22 ± 2.01), and 0.50-80.09 μg/L (14.22 ± 16.32), respectively, throughout the four seasons of 2020. The trace metal concentration showed a spatial gradient of high to low from river to estuary and from inshore to offshore areas. A combination of pollution levels and marine sensitivity was employed to assess the pollution degree of the heavy metals. As a whole, the single pollution factors of trace metals in Liaodong Bay were ranged in the order Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd. The total pollution degree was relatively high in autumn and summer due to increased riverine inputs after the rainy season, while relatively low in spring and winter. These findings provide baseline data for future targeting policies to protect marine environments in Liaodong Bay.