The distribution characteristics of heavy metals in sediments of Jiaozhou Bay and its potential ecological risk evaluation

The concentration of heavy metals in surface sediments of east coast of Jiaozhou Bay was measured to determine the distribution characteristics and enrichment of heavy metals in Jiaozhou Bay.The potential effect of these heavy metals on local ecological environment was evaluated by the potential ecological risk index.The results showed that the average contents of heavy metals in surface sediments of Jiaodong Bay were larger in July than in December except Cu and Cr.The content of Cd was the highest among all elements in surface sediments and the pollution index of Cd was 1.68;the potential ecological risk factor(Eir) of heavy metals was lower than the standard of slight ecological harm except Cd,which indicated that the potential effect factor to ecological environment in this region was Cd.The assessment of potential ecological harm index reveals that the RI values of July and December were lower than 150,which implies those station-located waters have slight ecological harm.