Distribution and mass inventory of mercury in sediment from the Yangtze River estuarine-inner shelf of the East China Sea. (1st January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Wenchuan; Hu, Limin; Lin, Tian; Li, Yuanyuan; Guo, Zhigang
• Is Part Of: Continental shelf research. Volume 132(2017)
• Page Start: 29
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2017-01-01
• Subjects: Mercury -- Surface sediments -- Distribution -- Mass inventory -- Large river input -- The coastal East China Sea; Continental shelf -- Periodicals; Submarine geology -- Periodicals; 551.41
• DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2016.11.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4343

Abstract

Abstract: Mercury (Hg) was measured in 70 sediment samples from the Yangtze River estuarine-inner shelf of the East China Sea (ECS) to evaluate its occurrence, distribution, and deposition flux. Its concentrations were 10–92 ng/g with a mean of 46±17 ng/g. A decrease of Hg concentration with increasing distance offshore suggested a dominance of riverine input. The high levels of Hg observed at the southern inner shelf were partly due to the sorption affinity of fine-grained sediments. Hg concentration was significantly correlated with total organic carbon content and sediment grain size, implying that the nature of sedimentary organic matter and hydrodynamic forces could influence the Hg occurrence. A moderate correlation between Hg with high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the YRE suggested that they shared a similar input pathway. The total deposition flux of Hg was estimated to be ~52 t/y with a deposition rate of 6–120 ng/cm 2 y, which indicated that the estuarine-inner shelf of the ECS was a major sink of Hg in the margins off China, and this area could play a significant role in the Hg biogeochemical cycle on a global scale. Highlights: Distribution of Hg in sediments in the Yangtze River estuary-inner shelf of ECS was revealed. Decrease of Hg with increasing distance offshore suggests a dominance of riverine input. Organic matter and hydrodynamic forces influence the behavior of Hg in sediments. Yangtze River estuary-inner shelf of ECS is a key sink of Hg in marginal seas off China.