Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediments of Duyen Hai Seaport Area in Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam

Tham, Trinh Thi; Lap, Bui Quoc; Mai, Ngo Tra; Trung, Nguyen Thanh; Phạm, Phương Thảo; Huong, Nguyen Thi Lan

Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediments of Duyen Hai Seaport Area in Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam

2021

The Duyen Hai Seaport covering more than 427 hectares of water surface is part of a Duyen Hai thermal power plant complex. In the last years, port operations can lead to impact on air, water, land, and the ecosystem. To evaluate the ecological risk caused by heavy metals at the Duyen Hai Seaport, 17 surficial sediment samples were collected along the ship flow from shoreline to the material submerged zone in April 2019. The total concentrations of some heavy metals including lead, cadmium, arsenic, copper, zinc, and mercury were analyzed by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The experimental results indicated that there were significant and positive correlations between various heavy metals studied. The geo-accumulation index (Igₑₒ), the potential ecological risk index (RI), and the degree of contamination (Cd) were calculated for evaluating the risks of heavy metal in sediment samples. The Igₑₒ values showed that the Duyen Hai Seaport is slightly contaminated by heavy metals, especially by Cd. Generally, the low potential risk of heavy metal was observed from the values of RI. The potential ecological risk index of heavy metals was found in the order ER (Hg)>ER (Cd)>ER (As)>ER (Pb)>ER (Zn)>ER (Cu), which revealed that Cd was the most important factor leading to the risk. These findings might be useful for making appropriate management strategies to prevent or decrease pollution by heavy metal at the Duyen Hai Seaport.

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