Heavy metals in sediments of the river-lake system in the Dianchi basin, China: Their pollution, sources, and risks

The accumulation of heavy metals in river and lake sediments in basins seriously threatens ecological safety and human health. To manage the basin effectively, it is crucial to understand pollution levels and identify and quantify the sources and risks of heavy metals in rivers and lakes separately for targeted control. In this study, 34 sediment samples were collected from the Dianchi Basin, China, and the pollution, sources, and risks in the river-lake system sediments were systematically analysed for cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni). The results showed that at least half of the heavy metals in the lakes and rivers exceeded the local soil background values during the flood and dry seasons. Heavy metal concentrations were generally higher in the lakes, with high concentrations in the lakes and nearby rivers. Through positive matrix factorisation and Geodetector traceability discovery, agricultural activities were found to be the main source of heavy metals in river sediments, whereas urban activities were the main source in lake sediments. Ecological risk assessments indicated that Hg and Cd were the main risk factors, causing pollution in lakes due to atmospheric deposition and traffic emissions and moderate pollution in rivers due to atmospheric deposition and agricultural production. Health risk assessments revealed that As and Ni were the main carcinogenic risks, originating from human and industrial activities in lakes, and from agricultural and natural sources in rivers. Children faced higher carcinogenic risks than adults, possibly because of their behaviour and physiology. Overall, the presence of heavy metals, along with their ecological and health risks, was significantly higher in the lakes than in the rivers. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the pollution, sources, and risks of eight heavy metals in the river-lake system of the Dianchi Basin.