Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest China
Analyzing suspended particulate matter (SPM) in rivers has become crucial to assessing heavy metals in the fluvial system due to SPM's outstanding transportability. The Tibetan Plateau (TP), especially the Yarlung Tsangpo River (YTR) area, is under the potential threat of heavy metal pollution....
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-05-01
|
| Series: | Geosystems and Geoenvironment |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772883822001352 |
| _version_ | 1797202998053568512 |
|---|---|
| author | Zihan Xia Junwen Zhang Yani Yan Wei Zhang Zhiqi Zhao |
| author_facet | Zihan Xia Junwen Zhang Yani Yan Wei Zhang Zhiqi Zhao |
| author_sort | Zihan Xia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Analyzing suspended particulate matter (SPM) in rivers has become crucial to assessing heavy metals in the fluvial system due to SPM's outstanding transportability. The Tibetan Plateau (TP), especially the Yarlung Tsangpo River (YTR) area, is under the potential threat of heavy metal pollution. Ten selected heavy metal elements (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb and Cs) were assessed in 27 SPM samples collected from the YTR main channel and its tributaries in June and September 2017 for the enrichment, temporal-spatial variation and potential source analysis of heavy metals in the YTR. The seasonal mean concentrations of the detected heavy metal followed the trend: Zn (290) > Cu (171) > As (144) > V (121) > Cr (91.5) > Ni (85.3) > Cs (74.3) > Co (28.1) > Sb (4.39) > Cd (0.57). The enrichment factor (EF) values suggested Cu (6.54), As (5.68), and Cd (4.45) as the most enriched heavy metal elements in the YTR, referring to moderate to severe enrichment, while other heavy metals were condonable. Temporally, heavy metals were more enriched in the SPM samples collected in September than in June because of the discrepancy in hydrodynamic conditions. Spatially, hot-spring-related elements showed a declining tendency downstream of the YTR. In the middle of the YTR, those heavy metals sensitive to anthropogenic activities would significantly concentrate in the SPM because it is the most populated and developed area in Tibet. Additionally, tributaries would accumulate more heavy metals than the YTR mainstream. Principal component analysis (PCA) extracted five components for heavy metals in the SPM. It revealed that hot springs and multivariate human activities would be the dominant contributors to the concentrated heavy metals in the SPM of the YTR. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:12:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ef23431464be4712857369c07c85a98a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-8838 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:12:20Z |
| publishDate | 2024-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosystems and Geoenvironment |
| spelling | doaj.art-ef23431464be4712857369c07c85a98a2024-04-17T04:50:23ZengElsevierGeosystems and Geoenvironment2772-88382024-05-0132100160Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest ChinaZihan Xia0Junwen Zhang1Yani Yan2Wei Zhang3Zhiqi Zhao4School of Earth Science and Resources, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, ChinaSchool of Earth Science and Resources, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, ChinaSchool of Earth Science and Resources, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, ChinaSchool of Earth Science and Resources, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, ChinaCorresponding author.; School of Earth Science and Resources, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, ChinaAnalyzing suspended particulate matter (SPM) in rivers has become crucial to assessing heavy metals in the fluvial system due to SPM's outstanding transportability. The Tibetan Plateau (TP), especially the Yarlung Tsangpo River (YTR) area, is under the potential threat of heavy metal pollution. Ten selected heavy metal elements (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb and Cs) were assessed in 27 SPM samples collected from the YTR main channel and its tributaries in June and September 2017 for the enrichment, temporal-spatial variation and potential source analysis of heavy metals in the YTR. The seasonal mean concentrations of the detected heavy metal followed the trend: Zn (290) > Cu (171) > As (144) > V (121) > Cr (91.5) > Ni (85.3) > Cs (74.3) > Co (28.1) > Sb (4.39) > Cd (0.57). The enrichment factor (EF) values suggested Cu (6.54), As (5.68), and Cd (4.45) as the most enriched heavy metal elements in the YTR, referring to moderate to severe enrichment, while other heavy metals were condonable. Temporally, heavy metals were more enriched in the SPM samples collected in September than in June because of the discrepancy in hydrodynamic conditions. Spatially, hot-spring-related elements showed a declining tendency downstream of the YTR. In the middle of the YTR, those heavy metals sensitive to anthropogenic activities would significantly concentrate in the SPM because it is the most populated and developed area in Tibet. Additionally, tributaries would accumulate more heavy metals than the YTR mainstream. Principal component analysis (PCA) extracted five components for heavy metals in the SPM. It revealed that hot springs and multivariate human activities would be the dominant contributors to the concentrated heavy metals in the SPM of the YTR.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772883822001352Yarlung Tsangpo RiverSuspended particulate matterHeavy metalsTemporal-spatial variation |
| spellingShingle | Zihan Xia Junwen Zhang Yani Yan Wei Zhang Zhiqi Zhao Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest China Geosystems and Geoenvironment Yarlung Tsangpo River Suspended particulate matter Heavy metals Temporal-spatial variation |
| title | Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest China |
| title_full | Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest China |
| title_fullStr | Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest China |
| title_short | Heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Southwest China |
| title_sort | heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in the yarlung tsangpo river southwest china |
| topic | Yarlung Tsangpo River Suspended particulate matter Heavy metals Temporal-spatial variation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772883822001352 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zihanxia heavymetalsinsuspendedparticulatematterintheyarlungtsangporiversouthwestchina AT junwenzhang heavymetalsinsuspendedparticulatematterintheyarlungtsangporiversouthwestchina AT yaniyan heavymetalsinsuspendedparticulatematterintheyarlungtsangporiversouthwestchina AT weizhang heavymetalsinsuspendedparticulatematterintheyarlungtsangporiversouthwestchina AT zhiqizhao heavymetalsinsuspendedparticulatematterintheyarlungtsangporiversouthwestchina |