Pollution and Potential Ecological Risk Evaluation of Heavy Metals in the Sediments around Dongjiang Harbor, Tianjin

Distribution, enrichment characteristics of heavy metals (such as lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, mercury and arsenic) in the sediments around Dongjiang Harbor, Tianjin, were measured and analyzed in March, 2009. The potential harmful effects of these heavy metals were evaluated by Sediment Enrichment Factor Method (SEF) and Potential Ecological Risk Index Method (PERI) based on considering the specialty of the area and the applicability of evaluation methods, which could quantify the potential ecological risk levels of heavy metals. The results showed that the sediment enrichment factors of heavy metals were: As > Zn > Cu > Hg > Pb > Cd. Pb and Cd in the sediments around Dongjiang Harbor, Tianjin, were natural and did not originate from human activities. The pollution of Cu was low and from nature, which was affected by human activities slightly. Hg was polluted by human and exceeded standard much in many monitoring stations. As and Zn were affected seriously by human activities. In a word, the ecological risk levels of heavy metals in the sediments from this area were low. Potential Ecological Risk Indices (Eif) for heavy metals were: Hg > Cd > As > Cu > Pb > Zn. Hg had moderate potential ecological risk to the ecological environment and contributed most to potential toxicity response indices for various heavy metals (RI) in the sediments around Dongjiang Harbor, Tianjin.