Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in the Water, Sediment, and Organisms from The Sea Ranching Areas of Haizhou Bay in China

Abstract

Heavy metals (HMs) have the characteristics of high toxicity, long residual time, and difficult degradation, which pose a potential threat to aquatic ecosystems. The distribution and migration of HMs in different media can reflect their potential impact on aquatic ecosystem health. In this study, we analyzed the distribution characteristics of seven HMs (Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Hg, As, and Pb) in the water and sediment and five groups of organisms (fish, Crustacean, cephalopod, bivalvia, and gastropoda) in the sea ranching area of Haizhou Bay and explored the regularity of HM accumulation from water and sediments to organisms. The results showed that in the water, Zn and Hg had the smallest concentrations in the nearshore area, Cr had the lowest concentrations in the offshore area, and As, Cu, Pb, and Ni had the lowest concentrations in the central area. In the sediment, Hg had the smallest concentrations in the nearshore area and As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn had the lowest concentrations in the offshore area; the average contents of seven heavy metals all meet the Class I standard of sediments in China. The concentrations of Cu and Zn in crustaceans were significantly higher than those in fishes (p < 0.05), and As showed a higher enrichment effect in cephalopods. Under the influence of feeding habits and habitat environment, the BAF value of benthic crustaceans and bivalvia accumulated HMs from sediments is high, and the BAF value of fish accumulated HMs from water and sediments is low. Overall, the concentration of HMs in water is high, and HMs in sediments are in good condition, crustaceans and bivalviaa have a strong ability to accumulate HMs from water and sediments, while fish are weak. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of biological quality, it is necessary to focus on the discharge of heavy metal pollutants near the coast in the future.