Characteristics and assessment of nutrient and heavy metal pollution in the cascade reservoir sediments of the Heihe River Basin

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2024.00066

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2024, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (4): 212-222.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2024.00066

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Characteristics and assessment of nutrient and heavy metal pollution in the cascade reservoir sediments of the Heihe River Basin

Yu Wang¹^,²(), Yiyang Fan¹, Hui Yuan³, Zhehui Wang¹, Fengyun Xian¹, Miao Tian¹, Xingpeng Yuan¹

^1.School of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology，Lanzhou 730050，China
^2.Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Energy and Solar Energy Complementary Energy Supply System, Lanzhou University of Technology，Lanzhou 730050，China
^3.Gansu Provincial Water Environment Monitoring Centre，Lanzhou 730000，China

Received:2024-03-15 Revised:2024-05-23 Online:2024-07-20 Published:2024-08-29
Contact: Hui Yuan

Abstract

Abstract:

To explore the distribution characteristics and pollution assessment of nitrogen， phosphorus， nutrients， and heavy metals in the sediment of the cascade reservoirs in the Heihe River Basin， sediment samples were collected in August 2021. Eight heavy metals including Cr， Cu， Ni， Pb， Zn， Cd， Mn， and As， as well as total nitrogen and total phosphorus content， were determined. Various assessment methods were used to evaluate the content of the above pollutants. At the same time， correlation analysis was used to explore the sources， distribution， and intrinsic relationship between heavy metals and nitrogen-phosphorus nutrients. The results showed that only total nitrogen in the sediment of Xiaogushan Reservoir in the main stream reached a mild pollution level， while the average pollution index of tributaries was higher than that of the main stream. The pollution index of total phosphorus in sediment of all eight reservoirs was in a clean state. The average content of Cr， Cu， Mn， Pb， and Zn exceeded the background values of soils in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The geo-accumulation index showed that the average values of As， Cd， Cr， Mn， Ni， and Pb were less than or equal to 0. The potential ecological risk coefficient indicated that Cd had the highest risk coefficient， followed by Cu and Ni， which were the main factors causing heavy metal pollution in the reservoir sediment. The potential risk index indicated that the overall heavy metal pollution in the basin reservoirs was relatively light， and the pollution levels of tributaries were better than that of the main stream. Xiaogushan and Longshou Ⅱ reservoir areas with large reservoir capacities reached moderate risk levels. Correlation analysis and cluster analysis revealed that TN， TP， and Mn had similar pollution sources， mainly from the extensive use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in agricultural production and the natural weathering of rocks. Cu， Cr， and Ni came from industrial wastewater discharge from agricultural and sideline products and non-ferrous metal processing. As was related to domestic sewage and industrial emissions， while Cd and Pb mainly came from mining activities.

Key words: Heihe River, sediments, heavy metals, nutrient salts, cascade reservoir area

CLC Number:

P342

Yu Wang, Yiyang Fan, Hui Yuan, Zhehui Wang, Fengyun Xian, Miao Tian, Xingpeng Yuan. Characteristics and assessment of nutrient and heavy metal pollution in the cascade reservoir sediments of the Heihe River Basin[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2024, 44(4): 212-222.

Figures/Tables 14

Fig.1 Schematic diagram of sampling point distribution

Table 1 Basic information of sampling points and reservoirs in the Heihe River Basin

水库名称	干支流分级	海拔/m	总库容/×10⁵ m³	到上一座电站距离/km	机组投产时间
大孤山	干流	2 146	0.029	—	2009年7月
小孤山	干流	2 060	0.140	6.7	2006年7月
龙首二级	干流	1 834	8.620	14.5	2004年8月
龙首一级	干流	1 746	1.320	10.6	2002年4月
鹦鸽嘴	二级支流	1 930	1.320	—	1989年1月
冰沟一级	一级支流	2 000	0.056	—
鸳鸯池	一级支流	1 200	1.050	134.8
夹山子	二级支流	1 340	0.056	—	1997年10月

Table 2 Level of sediment nitrogen and phosphorus contamination

水平	S_TN	S_TP	F	等级
1	S_TN≤1.0	S_TP≤0.5	F≤1.0	清洁（Ⅰ）
2	1.0<SS_TN≤1.5	0.5<S_TP≤1.0	1.0<F≤1.5	轻度污染（Ⅱ）
3	1.5<S_TN≤2.0	1.5<S_TP ≤2.0	1.5<F≤2.0	中度污染（Ⅲ）
4	S_TN>2.0	S_TP>2.0	F>2.0	重度污染（Ⅳ）

Table 3 Heavy metal background values and toxicity factors

重金属	As	Cd	Cu	Mn	Ni	Pb	Zn	Cr
青藏高原土壤背景值/(mg·kg^-1)	19.27	0.141	24.27	617.36	55.86	32.15	75.59	155.54
毒性系数	10	30	5	1	5	5	1	2

Table 4 Potential ecological risk index

潜在生态风险指数( $E r i$ )	潜在生态风险指数(RI)	分级	风险等级
$E r i$ <30	RI<60	Ⅰ	轻微
30≤ $E r i$ <60	60≤RI<120	Ⅱ	中等
60≤ $E r i$ <120	120≤ $R I$ <240	Ⅲ	较强
120≤ $E r i$ <240	RI≥240	Ⅳ	很强
$E r i$ ≥240		Ⅴ	极强

Table 4 Potential ecological risk index

潜在生态风险指数( $E r i$ )	潜在生态风险指数(RI)	分级	风险等级
$E r i$ <30	RI<60	Ⅰ	轻微
30≤ $E r i$ <60	60≤RI<120	Ⅱ	中等
60≤ $E r i$ <120	120≤ $R I$ <240	Ⅲ	较强
120≤ $E r i$ <240	RI≥240	Ⅳ	很强
$E r i$ ≥240		Ⅴ	极强

Table 5 Igeo and the degree of heavy metal contamination

污染程度	I_geo
污染程度	≤0	0~1	1~2	2~3	3~4	4~5	>5
程度	清洁	轻度	轻中度	中度	重度	严重	极严重
级数	0	1	2	3	4	5	6

Fig. 2 Characteristics of Physical and Chemical Factors in water bodies

Fig. 3 Characteristics of sediment nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient distribution

Fig. 4 Characteristics of heavy metal content distribution

Table 6 Sediment nutrient salt pollution evaluation index

采样点	S_TN		S_TP		F
采样点	值	水平	值	水平	值	水平
大孤山	0.81	Ⅰ	0.18	Ⅰ	0.67	Ⅰ
小孤山	1.06	Ⅱ	0.18	Ⅰ	0.87	Ⅰ
龙首二级	0.85	Ⅰ	0.16	Ⅰ	0.69	Ⅰ
龙首一级	0.37	Ⅰ	0.03	Ⅰ	0.29	Ⅰ
冰沟一级	0.75	Ⅰ	0.07	Ⅰ	0.64	Ⅰ
鸳鸯池	1.18	Ⅱ	0.09	Ⅰ	0.95	Ⅰ
夹山子	1.12	Ⅱ	0.08	Ⅰ	0.90	Ⅰ
鹦鸽嘴	1.22	Ⅱ	0.16	Ⅱ	0.99	Ⅰ

Fig.5 Box plot of potential ecological risk index for heavy metals

Fig.6 Potential ecological risk factor for sediment heavy metals

Fig.7 Sediment heavy metal land accumulation index

Table 7 Correlation analysis of pollution elements in sediments of Heihe River reservoir area

	TN	TP	As	Cd	Cr	Cu	Mn	Ni	Pb	Zn
TN	1
TP	0.934	1
As	-0.957^*	-0.791	1
Cd	0.905	0.791	-0.913	1
Cr	-0.930	-0.986^*	0.795	-0.856	1
Cu	0.632	0.341	-0.809	0.812	-0.413	1
Mn	0.996^**	0.956^*	-0.932	0.869	-0.941	0.561	1
Ni	-0.471	-0.653	0.281	-0.593	0.742	-0.097	-0.479	1
Pb	-0.534	-0.262	0.707	-0.793	0.364	-0.977^*	-0.456	0.193	1
Zn	0.584	0.317	-0.743	0.431	-0.250	0.653	0.561	0.430	-0.482	1

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Characteristics and assessment of nutrient and heavy metal pollution in the cascade reservoir sediments of the Heihe River Basin

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