distribution of heavy metals in water and suspended particles at different sites in ariake bay, japan


electronic journal of environmental, agricultural and food chemistry

Authors: *Abdul Ghaffar1, Masaaki Tabata1, Yui Eto1, Jun Nishimoto2,
Koichi Yamamoto3

1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Saga
University, 1 Honjo-machi, 840-8502, Japan
2 Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life and
Environmental Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, 562
Nanatsuka-cho, Syoubara 727-0023, Japan
3 Research Division of Sediment and Material Transport, Ariake Sea
Research Project, Saga University, 1 Honjo-machi, 840-8502, Japan


Abstract:


Water samples were collected at 99 different points of Ariake bay
located in Kyushu, Japan and different metals (Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Co,
Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Sr, Sn, Zn) were analyzed in suspended particles and
water fraction. Western precinct has high concentration of metals as
compare to eastern precinct, whereas central precinct was almost free
from metals. Al, Fe, Mn and Pb were found on suspended particles,
whereas Ba, Cr and Sr were found in dissolved form. Cd and Zn were
found on suspended particles as well as in dissolved form. Kawazoe,
Kubota and Kashima regions, where rivers fall in Ariake bay, has high
concentrations of suspended particles. An anti-clock wised tidal flow
settled the suspended particles in adjacent regions. Comparative
higher concentrations of Co, Sn and Pb at Arao and Ohmuta regions
(receive industrial out falls) suggest their industrial source. On
average concentrations basis, Ariake bay has higher concentration of
Sr (7.01 µg/g), Fe (1.60 µg/g) and Al (1.52 µg/g), whereas,
concentrations of other studied metals were less than 1 µg/g. Higher
enrichment factor of Sr (57.3) in sediments of Ariake bay and its
higher concentration in surface water could be matter of concern. Pb,
Zn, Mn and Cd has high enrichment in sediments but their low
concentrations in surface water suggest that potential flux of these
metals from sediments to water column was very low.
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