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| Quality assessment technology of sediment polluted by heavy metals of the Taihu Lake |
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Abstract The equilibrium partitioning (EqP) approach was used to preliminarily discuss the sediment quality criteria (SQC) recommended values of four heavy metals-cadmium (Cd) , copper (Cu) , lead (Pb) , and zinc (Zn) for surface sediments from Taihu Lake. The SQCs for the heavy metals were calculated using the US EPA fresh quality criteria, which were based on aquatic toxicity of the final chronic level of heavy metals. The calculated SQCs of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd of the Taihu Lake were 145.2, 308.72, 293.01 and 0.46mg/kg. Taking this SQC as reference value, endowing these elements with different weights by referring to the potential ecological risk index approach and using complex pollution indices method, a new approach of quality assessment on heavy metals in surface sediments was developed, which was also applied to evaluate environmental quality of heavy metals in sediment of the Taihu Lake. Sediment quality of the whole Taihu Lake were primarily in “good” level based on the sample analysis (2010-8,9). The results were coherence with the analysis of total heavy metals.
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Received: 10 March 2012
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