Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Heavy metals in the surface sediments of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination has affected many regions in the world, particularly the developing countries of Asia. We investigated 8 heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, and As) in the surface sediments of 18 lakes on the Tibetan Plateau. It was found that the distributions of the heavy metals showed no clear spatial pattern on the plateau. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of these metals in the sediment samples diminished as follows: Cr > As > Zn > Ni > Pb > Cu > Co > Cd. The results of geoaccumulation index (I geo) and potential ecological risk factor (E i r ) assessments showed that the sediments were moderately polluted by Cd and As, which posed much higher risks than the other metals. The values of the potential ecological risk index (RI) showed that lake Bieruoze Co has been severely polluted by heavy metals. Principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis results indicated that the 8 heavy metals in the lake surface sediments of the Tibetan Plateau could be classified into four groups. Group 1 included Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, and Ni which were mainly derived from both natural and traffic sources. Group 2 included Cd which mainly originated from anthropogenic sources like alloying, electroplating, and dyeing industries and was transported to the Tibetan Plateau by atmospheric circulation. Group 3 included Cr and it might mainly generate from parent rocks of watersheds. The last Group (As) was mainly from manufacturing, living, and the striking deterioration of atmospheric environment of the West, Central Asia, and South Asia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Almeida J, Diniz Y, Marques S, Faine L, Ribas B, Burneiko R, Novelli E (2002) The use of the oxidative stress responses as biomarkers in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to in vivo cadmium contamination. Environ Int 27:673–679

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bai J, Cui B, Chen B, Zhang K, Deng W, Gao H, Xiao R (2011) Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments from a typical plateau lake wetland, China. Ecol Model 222:301–306

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown E, Bendick R, Bourles D, Gaur V, Molnar P, Raisbeck G, Yiou F (2003) Early Holocene climate recorded in geomorphological features in Western Tibet. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 199:141–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Zhu Q, Peng CH, Wu N, Wang YF, Fang XQ, Gao YH, Zhu D, Yang G, Tian JQ, Kang XM, Piao SL, Hua OY, Xiang WH, Luo ZB, Jiang H, Song XZ, Zhang Y, Yu GR, Zhao XQ, Gong P, Yao TD, Wu JH (2013) The impacts of climate change and human activities on biogeochemical cycles on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Glob Chang Biol 19:2940–2955

  • Cheng JA, Tian JL (1993) Background values and distribution characteristics of soil elements in Tibet. Science Press, Beijing

  • Cong Z, Kang S, Liu X, Wang G (2007) Elemental composition of aerosol in the Nam Co region, Tibetan Plateau, during summer monsoon season. Atmos Environ 41:1180–1187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dahms S, Baker N, Greenfield R (2017) Ecological risk assessment of trace elements in sediment: a case study from Limpopo, South Africa. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 135:106–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dixit S, Tiwari S (2008) Impact assessment of heavy metal pollution of Shahpura Lake, Bhopal, India. Int J Environ Res 2:37–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evenset A, Christensen GN, Carroll J, Zaborska A, Berger U, Herzke D, Gregor D (2007) Historical trends in persistent organic pollutants and metals recorded in sediment from Lake Ellasjøen, Bjørnøya, Norwegian Arctic. Environ Pollut 146:196–205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fatoki O, Mathabatha S (2004) An assessment of heavy metal pollution in the East London and Port Elizabeth harbours. Water SA 27:233–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu J, Zhao CP, Luo YP, Liu CS, Kyzas GZ, Luo Y, Zhao DY, An SQ, Zhu HL (2014) Heavy metals in surface sediments of the Jialu River, China: their relations to environmental factors. J Hazard Mater 270:102–109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García-Gil A, Epting J, Garrido E, Vázquez-Suñé E, Lázaro JM, Navarro JÁS, Huggenberger P, Calvo MÁM (2016) A city scale study on the effects of intensive groundwater heat pump systems on heavy metal contents in groundwater. Sci Total Environ 572:1047–1058

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanson L (1980) An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach. Water Res 14:975–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill NA, Simpson SL, Johnston EL (2013) Beyond the bed: effects of metal contamination on recruitment to bedded sediments and overlying substrata. Environ Pollut 173:182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hren MT, Chamberlain CP, Hilley GE, Blisniuk PM, Bookhagen B (2007) Major ion chemistry of the Yarlung Tsangpo–Brahmaputra river: chemical weathering, erosion, and CO 2 consumption in the southern Tibetan plateau and eastern syntaxis of the Himalaya. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 71:2907–2935

  • Huang L, Pu X, Pan J-F, Wang B (2013) Heavy metal pollution status in surface sediments of Swan Lake lagoon and Rongcheng Bay in the northern Yellow Sea. Chemosphere 93:1957–1964

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jia Y, Fang M, Wu Y, Liu H, Miao Y, Wang X, Lin W, Tong X (2013) Pollution characteristics and potential ecological risk of heavy metals in river sediments of Shanghai. China Environ Sci 33:147–153

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang M, Zeng G, Zhang C, Ma X, Chen M, Zhang J, Lu L, Yu Q, Hu L, Liu L (2013) Assessment of heavy metal contamination in the surrounding soils and surface sediments in Xiawangang River, Qingshuitang District. PLoS One 8:e71176

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones I, Kille P, Sweeney G (2001) Cadmium delays growth hormone expression during rainbow trout development. J Fish Biol 59:1015–1022

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kutzbach J, Prell W, Ruddiman WF (1993) Sensitivity of Eurasian climate to surface uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. J Geol 101:177–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langston WJ (1980) Arsenic in UK estuarine sediments and its availability to benthic organisms. J Mar Biol Assoc U K 60:869–881

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee CS-l, Li X, Shi W, Cheung SC-n, Thornton I (2006) Metal contamination in urban, suburban, and country park soils of Hong Kong: a study based on GIS and multivariate statistics. Sci Total Environ 356:45–61

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lehner B, Verdin K, Jarvis A (2006) HydroSHEDS technical documentation, version 1.0. World Wildlife Fund US, Washington DC, pp 1–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Lelieveld J, Crutzen PJ, Ramanathan V, Andreae MO, Brenninkmeijer CAM, Campos T, Cass DR, Dickerson RR, Fischer H, de Gouw JA, Hansel A, Jefferson A, Kley D, de Laat AT, Lal S, Lawrence MG, Lobert JM, Mayol-Bracero OL, Mitra AP, Novakov T, Oltmans SJ, Prather KA, Reiner T, Rodhe H, Scheeren HA, Sikka D, Williams J (2001) The Indian Ocean experiment: widespread air pollution from South and Southeast Asia. Science 291:1031–1036

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Zhang Q (2010) Spatial characterization of dissolved trace elements and heavy metals in the upper Han River (China) using multivariate statistical techniques. J Hazard Mater 176:579–588

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Kang S, Zhang Q, Gao S, Sharma CM (2011) Heavy metals in sediments of the Yarlung Tsangbo and its connection with the arsenic problem in the Ganges–Brahmaputra Basin. Environ Geochem Health 33:23–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu W, Li X, Shen Z, Wang D, Wai O, Li Y (2003) Multivariate statistical study of heavy metal enrichment in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary. Environ Pollut 121:377–388

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Priscu JC, Yao T, Vick-Majors TJ, Michaud AB, Jiao N, Hou J, Tian L, Hu A, Chen Z-Q (2014) A comparison of pelagic, littoral, and riverine bacterial assemblages in Lake Bangongco, Tibetan Plateau. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 89:211–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loska K, Wiechuła D (2003) Application of principal component analysis for the estimation of source of heavy metal contamination in surface sediments from the Rybnik Reservoir. Chemosphere 51:723–733

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu A-x (2005) Study on the fluctuations of typical glaciers and lakes in the Tibetan Plateau using remote sensing. J Glaciol Geocryol 27:783–792

    Google Scholar 

  • McGeer JC, Szebedinszky C, McDonald DG, Wood CM (2000) Effects of chronic sublethal exposure to waterborne Cu, Cd or Zn in rainbow trout. 1: Iono-regulatory disturbance and metabolic costs. Aquat Toxicol 50:231–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muller G (1969) Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the Rhine River. Geojournal 2:108–118

  • Nakamoto Y (2000) Rapid determination of arsenic in thermally cracked gasoline by graphite-furnace AAS. Bunseki Kagaku 49:43–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neff JM (1997) Ecotoxicology of arsenic in the marine environment. Environ Toxicol Chem 16:917–927

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill P (1990) Heavy metals in soils. John Wiley, New York, pp 83–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Pekey H (2006) The distribution and sources of heavy metals in Izmit Bay surface sediments affected by a polluted stream. Mar Pollut Bull 52:1197–1208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qiao JJ, Li Q, Zhao Y, Cheng ZF, Yang X (2009) Study on the CaCO3 content characteristics in conterminous region of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. Geogr Geo-Inf Sci 6:016

    Google Scholar 

  • Qu W, Kelderman P (2001) Heavy metal contents in the Delft canal sediments and suspended solids of the River Rhine: multivariate analysis for source tracing. Chemosphere 45:919–925

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qu WC, Dickman M, Wang SM (2001) Multivariate analysis of heavy metal and nutrient concentrations in sediments of Taihu Lake, China. Hydrobiologia 450:83–89

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy MS, Venkataraman C (2002) Inventory of aerosol and sulphur dioxide emissions from India: I—fossil fuel combustion. Atmos Environ 36:677–697

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schauble T (1999) Erosionsprognosen mit GIS und EDV-Ein Vergleich verschiedener Bewertungskonzepte am Beispiel einer Gaulandschaft. Geographisches Institut, Universitat Tubingen, Germany (in German)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schilling JS, Lehman ME (2002) Bioindication of atmospheric heavy metal deposition in the Southeastern US using the moss Thuidium delicatulum. Atmos Environ 36:1611–1618

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi Y, Sun H, Liu Y, Hou J, Zhu L, Chu H (2014) Vertical distribution of bacterial community in sediments of freshwater lake Puma Yumco and saline lake AWongco on the Tibetan Plateau. Micronbiology (China) 41:2379–2387

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh KP, Mohan D, Singh VK, Malik A (2005) Studies on distribution and fractionation of heavy metals in Gomti river sediments—a tributary of the Ganges, India ☆. J Hydrol 312:14–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suresh G, Ramasamy V, Meenakshisundaram V, Venkatachalapathy R, Ponnusamy V (2011) Influence of mineralogical and heavy metal composition on natural radionuclide concentrations in the river sediments. Appl Radiat Isot 69:1466–1474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suresh G, Ramasamy V, Sundarrajan M, Paramasivam K (2015) Spatial and vertical distributions of heavy metals and their potential toxicity levels in various beach sediments from high-background-radiation area, Kerala, India. Mar Pollut Bull 91:389–400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang W, Shan B, Zhang H, Zhang W, Zhao Y, Ding Y, Rong N, Zhu X (2014) Heavy metal contamination in the surface sediments of representative limnetic ecosystems in eastern China. Sci Rep 4:7152. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep07152

  • Tao Y, Yuan Z, Wei M, Xiaona H (2012) Characterization of heavy metals in water and sediments in Taihu Lake, China. Environ Monit Assess 184:4367–4382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor MP (2007) Distribution and storage of sediment-associated heavy metals downstream of the remediated Rum Jungle Mine on the East Branch of the Finniss River, Northern Territory, Australia. J Geochem Explor 92:55–72

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai YI, Kuo SC, Lin YH (2003) Temporal characteristics of inhalable mercury and arsenic aerosols in the urban atmosphere in southern Taiwan. Atmos Environ 37:3401–3411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uluturhan E, Kucuksezgin F (2007) Heavy metal contaminants in Red Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) tissues from the eastern Aegean Sea, Turkey. Water Res 41:1185–1192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vandecasteele B, Quataert P, De Vos B, Tack FM (2004) Assessment of the pollution status of alluvial plains: a case study for the dredged sediment-derived soils along the Leie river. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 47:14–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wan W, Xiao P, Feng X, Li H, Ma R, Duan H, Zhao L (2014) Monitoring lake changes of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau over the past 30 years using satellite remote sensing data. Chin Sci Bull 59:1021–1035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang SM, Dou HS (1998) Record of Chinese lakes. Science Press, Beijing, 337:378

  • Wang X, Yang H, Gong P, Zhao X, Wu G, Turner S, Yao T (2010) One century sedimentary records of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mercury and trace elements in the Qinghai Lake, Tibetan Plateau. Environ Pollut 158:3065–3070

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Zhu L, Wang J, Ju J, Lin X (2012) The spatial distribution and sedimentary processes of organic matter in surface sediments of Nam Co, Central Tibetan Plateau. Chin Sci Bull 57:4753–4764

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wängberg SÅ, Heyman U, Blanck H (1991) Long-term and short-term arsenate toxicity to freshwater phytoplankton and periphyton in limnocorrals. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 48:173–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winther M, Slentø E (2010) Heavy metal emissions for Danish road transport. National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Aarhus

    Google Scholar 

  • Xie T, Luo D, Yang R (2014) Vertical distribution pattern and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in a sediment core from Pumoyum Co, Tibet. Environ Sci 35:4135–4142

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan X, Gao D, Zhang F, Zeng C, Xiang W, Zhang M (2013a) Relationships between heavy metal concentrations in roadside topsoil and distance to road edge based on field observations in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 10:762–775

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan X, Zhang F, Gao D, Zeng C, Xiang W, Zhang M (2013b) Accumulations of heavy metals in roadside soils close to Zhaling, Eling and Nam Co Lakes in the Tibetan Plateau. Int J Environ Res Public Health 10:2384–2400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang HD, Rose NL, Battarbee RW (2002) Distribution of some trace metals in Lochnagar, a Scottish mountain lake ecosystem and its catchment. Sci Total Environ 285:197–208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yi Y, Yang Z, Zhang S (2011) Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediment and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in fishes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin. Environ Pollut 159:2575–2585

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan HZ, Liu EF, Shen J, Zhou HJ, Geng QF, An SQ (2014) Characteristics and origins of heavy metals in sediments from Ximen Co Lake during summer monsoon season, a deep lake on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. J Geochem Explor 136:76–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zechmeister HG (1995) Correlation between altitude and heavy metal deposition in the ALPs. Environ Pollut 89:73–80

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng H, Wu J (2013) Heavy metal pollution of lakes along the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China: intensity, sources and spatial patterns. Int J Environ Res Public Health 10:793–807

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Sun R, Zhu L (2012) Lake water in the Yamzhog Yumco Basin in South Tibetan region: quality and evaluation. J Glaciol Geocryol 34:950–958

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang G, Yao T, Xie H, Zhang K, Zhu F (2014) Lakes’ state and abundance across the Tibetan Plateau. Sci Bull 59:3010–3021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Kang S, Zhang Q, Grigholm B, Kaspari S, You Q, Qin D, Mayewski PA, Cong Z, Huang J (2015) A 500year atmospheric dust deposition retrieved from a Mt. Geladaindong ice core in the central Tibetan Plateau. Atmos Res 166:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Jin X, Di Z, Zhu X, Shan B (2016) Heavy metals in surface sediments of the shallow lakes in eastern China: their relations with environmental factors and anthropogenic activities. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23:25364–25373

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhen D, Zhang Y (2009) Ecological and environmental security along the Qinghai–Tibet railway. Zhejiang Science and Technology Publishing House, Hangzhou

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng XY (1982) The distribution characteristics of B and Li in the brine of Zhacang Caka (Zhangzang Caka) saline lake, Xizang autonomous region, China. Oceanol Limnol Sin 13:26–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou J, Ma DS, Pan JY, Nie WM, Wu K (2008) Application of multivariate statistical approach to identify heavy metal sources in sediment and waters: a case study in Yangzhong, China. Environ Geol 54:373–380

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu L, Ju J, Wang Y, Xie M, Wang J, Peng P, Zhen X, Lin X (2010) Composition, spatial distribution, and environmental significance of water ions in Pumayum Co catchment, southern Tibet. J Geogr Sci 20:109–120

  • Zhu X, Ji H, Chen Y, Qiao M, Tang L (2013) Assessment and sources of heavy metals in surface sediments of Miyun Reservoir, Beijing. Environ Monit Assess 185:6049–6062

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41425004) and the “Strategic Priority Research Program (B)” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Grant No. XDB03030100.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Bixi Guo, Yongqin Liu & Chaoliu Li

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Colledge of Resources and Environment, Beijing, 10049, China

    Bixi Guo & Yongqin Liu

  3. CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Yongqin Liu, Fan Zhang, Juzhi Hou & Hongbo Zhang

  4. Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Yongqin Liu, Fan Zhang, Juzhi Hou & Hongbo Zhang

Authors
  1. Bixi Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yongqin Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Juzhi Hou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hongbo Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Chaoliu Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yongqin Liu.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 18 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Guo, B., Liu, Y., Zhang, F. et al. Heavy metals in the surface sediments of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 3695–3707 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0680-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0680-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation