Distribution and contamination assessment of heavy metals in soils and sediments from the Fildes Peninsula and Ardley Island in King George Island, Antarctica

  • Jing Lin Laboratory of Marine Isotopic Technology and Environmental Risk Assessment, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China; and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • A.B.M. Sadique Rayhan Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China; and Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • Yun Wang College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • Zhai Wu College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • Yan Lin College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • Hongwei Ke College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • Tianyao Li College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • Kai Chen College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
  • Minggang Cai Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China; Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China; and College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
Keywords: Trace element content, pollution assessment, penguin guano, multivariate statistical analysis, bio-transport of metals

Abstract

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cr) in surface soils and sediments collected in 2008 from 37 sampling sites in the Fildes Peninsula and Ardley Island were detected by atomic absorption spectrometry. The total contents of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cr ranged, respectively, from 61.36 to 562.2 mg/kg, 0.52 to 1.95 mg/kg, 54.61 to 577.9 mg/kg, 0.04 to 3.76 mg/kg and 6.83 to 25.9 mg/kg in soils and from 58.55 to 498.3 mg/kg, 0.60 to 2.51 mg/kg, 56.22 to 345.9 mg/kg, 0.07 to 5.77 mg/kg and 7.76 to 39.5 mg/kg in sediments. The geo-accumulation index and the pollution load index were calculated to evaluate the environmental effects of heavy metal pollutants, Cu, Zn and Cd, in the study area. Soils and sediments from Ardley Island were found to be moderately polluted with the studied metals. Pearson’s correlation analysis and principal component analysis were applied to assess the distribution pattern and potential source of heavy metals. The results suggest that Cu, Zn and Cd in the study area originated from both the lithogenic sources and penguin guano, while Pb and Cr were probably derived from lithogenic sources.

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References


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Published
2021-12-27
How to Cite
Lin J., Rayhan A. S., Wang Y., Wu Z., Lin Y., Ke H., Li T., Chen K., & Cai M. (2021). Distribution and contamination assessment of heavy metals in soils and sediments from the Fildes Peninsula and Ardley Island in King George Island, Antarctica. Polar Research, 40. https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5270
Section
Research Articles