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Published on: July 10, 2015
Suspended particulate matter affects the distribution and migration of heavy metals in the Yellow River
Xiaozhu Liu1, Yanqing Sheng2, Qunqun Liu3
1State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Land and Sea Ecological Governance and Systematic Regulation, Shandong Academy for Environmental Planning, Jinan, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is an important heavy metal transporter in water. As a well-known high-SPM river, its impact on the distribution and migration of heavy metals in the Yellow River (YR) deserves special attention. In this study, the spatial distributions of heavy metals in surface water and SPM of the YR were investigated. The results indicate that the concentrations (dissolved and particulate phases) and bioavailability (particulate phase) of most heavy metals were higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. A considerable proportion of heavy metals (>70 %) was transported by SPM and fine particles (clay) controlled the pollution status of heavy metals in the YR. This could lead to higher heavy metal concentrations in the SPM midstream and downstream during the rainy season and higher heavy metal concentrations in upstream during the dry season. Heavy metal adsorption experiments showed that specific combination methods (such as binding with carbonate) between Cd and SPM may cause SPM to act as a source of Cd midstream and downstream. This study provides a new perspective on the effects of SPM on heavy metal distribution and migration in the YR.
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