ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METAL POLLUTION AND METHOD COMPARISON: A case study of the shallow-sea sediments in Fujian

The index of Geoaccumulation (I_geo), Nemero index of pollution and the potential ecological risk index (RI) are adopted to assess the pollution of seven heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd and As) for 461 samples from the shallow-sea sediments along Fujian coast. The methods are compared. The result shows that the overproof heavy metals are dominated by Cr (24.1%) and Cu (15.0%), followed by Pb (6.3%) and Zn (5.0%). The greatest potential ecological risk occurs at Jiulongjiang estuary, where Cd is in highest potential ecological risk, but with less potential ecological risk of Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. Each of the three assessment methods has its speciality. The combined application will reasonably and systematically assess the heavy metal pollution.