Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

www.elsevier.com/locate/ECSS

Low concentration of heavy metals in the

Yangtze estuarine sediments, China: a diluting setting
Zhongyuan Chena,), Yoshiki Saitob, Yutaka Kanaic, Taoyuan Weid,
Luqian Lid, Heshun Yaod, Zhanghua Wangd
a

State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
b
MRE, Geological Survey of Japan, AIST, Central 7, Higashi 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 306-8567, Japan
c
RCDME, Geological Survey of Japan, AIST, Central 7, Higashi 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 306-8567, Japan
d
Department of Geography, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
Received 27 February 2003; accepted 30 November 2003

Abstract
An examination of the spatial and temporal distribution of 17 major heavy metals, i.e., Fe, Zn, Ni, Mg, Co, Mn, etc., was made
in the Yangtze estuarine sediments revealed by a number of vibrocores taken from the dierent sediment zones, including delta
front, prodelta, and deltaeshelf transition. The results obtained from the numerous core samples, which were also measured for Pb210 and Cs-137, show that: (1) the silty clay comprising the prodelta facies serves as a depositional sink attracting high
concentrations of heavy metals delivered from the river mouth; (2) after being normalized to aluminum (as a proxy for grain size),
most heavy metals presented in the prodelta facies have lower concentrations than in the other adjacent sediment zones; (3) also
after normalization, concentrations of most heavy metals in the vibrocore sediments tend to increase up-core; and (4) sedimentation
rates in the study area range from w2.0 to 6.0 cm/a; hence, the vibrocores contain a sedimentary record of metal deposition covering
more than 50 years. It has previously been assumed that sediments o the river mouth were heavily polluted due to industrialization
of the Shanghai metropolitan area, which peaked about 50 years ago. However, the low concentrations of heavy metals in the study
area before and after normalization do not support this assumption. The Yangtze estuary is characterized largely by the tremendous
runo and unpolluted sediments derived from the upper drainage basin to constitute a unique diluted setting, in which the dispersal
behavior of heavy metals from the adjacent industrialized coast is inuenced substantially. As a result, the heavy metals in the study
area are obviously lower than those previously determined along the coast.
2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: dilution; dispersal pattern; heavy metals; sedimentation rate; Yangtze estuary

1. Introduction
Over the past century, heavy metals have been
discharged into the world rivers and estuaries as
a result of the rapid development of industry (Chen
et al., 1997; Tam and Wong, 2000; Chan et al., 2001;
Chen et al., 2001; Lee and Cundy, 2001; Ruiz, 2001;
Santschi et al., 2001; Zhang et al., 2001; Feng et al.,
2002; Lin et al., 2002). The delivery processes are closely
linked to those of ne-grained suspended sediments,

) Corresponding author.
E-mail address: z.chen@sklec.ecnu.edu.cn (Z. Chen).
0272-7714/$ - see front matter 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2003.11.021

acting as eective carriers, onto which heavy metals are

bound. When the littoral processes are encountered,
large amounts of suspended sediments begin to occulate and settle, and distinctive sedimentary patterns are
formed in response to the changed conditions of the
estuarine environment with regard to hydrodynamic
setting, salinity, water temperature and redox (Feng
et al., 1999; Wright and Mason, 1999; Shen and Pan,
2001; Warwick, 2001; Gijs et al., 2002).
The metropolis of Shanghai, located on the eastern
coast of China (Fig. 1), discharges more than 6.0 million
tonnes of industrial and domestic sewage water into the
Yangtze estuary daily (Shanghai Drainage Administration Division, 1985). Contamination by heavy metals

92

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

121

123

ng
Ya

r
ive

C4
C1

C2
Y1

Yellow Sea

Study area

an
riv gtz
er e

tze
R

124 E
32 N

C HY I N A

122

East
China
Sea

Shanghai

Y4

Y5

C5

Y6
Y7
Y8

Y2

31

10

10

30

Legend
A
B
C
D

Y9

20

Vibrocore site
Delta front
Prodelta
Delta-shelf transition
Relict sand zone
Bathymetry (m)
Sediment zone
Coastland

40

50

50 km

Fig. 1. Geographic location of the Yangtze estuary and the vibrocore sites.

has become an issue of great concern with respect to

estuarine aquaculture, reclamation, and habitation
(Shanghai Drainage Administration Division, 1985;
Chen et al., 2001). Heavy metals have accumulated in
considerable amounts in the tidal at sediments,
especially near the many sewage outlets, where large
tracts of coastal land (O1000 km2) have been reclaimed
during the last few decades to accommodate the great
pressure from the densely populated delta region
(O600 people/km2) (Shanghai Drainage Administration
Division, 1985; Chen et al., 2001). Heavy metals in the
Yangtze estuary have also attracted attention and social
concern because they can adsorb onto the coastal plants
and animals, which are considered as an important
component of the food chain and are thus potentially
harmful to human health (Shanghai Drainage Administration Division, 1985; Wright and Mason, 1999; Gijs
et al., 2002). The maintenance of a sound estuarine
ecosystem depends not only on the eective management of human activities in the region, but also on
a better understanding of the dispersal pattern of heavy
metals (as well as other pollutants) and their sedimentological, biological and chemical interactions at the
estuarine interface.

The Yangtze River carries more than 4:86 ! 108 t/a

sediment to the coast via its tremendous discharge, of
which about 50% is deposited in its estuary and the rest
is dispersed into the East China Sea (Chen et al., 1988).
Recently, studies on heavy metals linked with studies of
sediment dynamics have clearly revealed various distribution patterns and dispersal routes along the coast (Xu
et al., 1982; Su et al., 1988; Chen et al., 2001; Zhang
et al., 2001). However, the evolution of contaminant
distribution in the subaqueous delta sediments due to
recent industrialization is little understood. The present
study focuses on the spatial and temporal distribution of
heavy metals in the study area in order to highlight
delivery behavior, with reference to estuarine dynamics,
and to evaluate the sedimentary record of pollution
from human activities on the estuarine ecosystem.

2. Methods
In 2000, six vibrocores (Y4eY9; 2.0e3.0 m long/
vibrocore) were obtained from the Yangtze estuary
(Fig. 1) from water depths between 10 and 55 m. In
total, 181 samples were taken at intervals of 5 cm from

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

the six vibrocores. Samples were air-dried at room

temperature (!30 (C) and sieved through a 200-mm
sieve to remove root and shell fragments. Samples were
then ground and partially dissolved in HNO3eHClO4,
to be comparable with the former studies (cf. Chen
et al., 2001). Seventeen major and trace elements, i.e.,
Fe, Zn, Ni, Mg, Co, Mn, Al, Ba, As, Pb, Ga, Ti, Cr, Cu,
Sr, V, and Li, were measured in the laboratory by
inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) (Plasma-2000, PerkineElmer, USA).
Parallel testing was completed to validate the laboratory
output. Both absolute contents of heavy metals (Figs. 2a
and 3a) and contents normalized to that of aluminum
are reported (Figs. 2b and 3b).
Thirty-six samples were taken from the six vibrocores
and analyzed for grain size using a Coulter LS100Q
particle size analyzer. Samples were chosen from
sediment sections where changes in lithology occurred.
In addition, 108 samples were selected from the six
vibrocores for radioisotope analysis (Pb-210 and Cs137). Four grams of pulverized sample was added to
a tube with a cap. The activities of Pb-210 (peak energy:
46.5 keV), Pb-214 (352 keV), Cs-137 (661.6 keV), and
K-40 (1461 keV) were then measured by gamma-ray
spectrometry by using well-type Ge detectors (ORTEC
GWL-140230-S and GWL-120230-S). The peak intensities were corrected by sample arrangement according to
the metals (Kanai, 1993). The excess Pb-210 activity was
calculated by subtracting the activity of Pb-214 from
that of Pb-210, as it was assumed that the supported Pb210 was in equilibrium with Ra-226 and Pb-214.
Sedimentation rates were calculated for all six vibrocores on the basis of the Pb-210 and Cs-137 measurements. CIC (Constant Initial Concentration) model was
applied for Pb-210 data treatment of the present study
(cf. Robbins and Edgington, 1975).
Additional data incorporated into the present database include the heavy metals distribution in vibrocore
Y1, which was taken from the upper tidal at of
Chongming Island in the Yangtze River mouth (Fig. 1;
Chen et al., 2001), and the surface sediment grain-size
distribution of the Yangtze subaqueous delta (zones A,
B, C, and D, Fig. 1; Chen et al., 2000).

3. Observations and results

Yellowish gray silty sand (mean grain size Z
125e63 mm) dominated in vibrocore Y4 located in sediment zone A (delta front facies; Fig. 1) in the Yangtze
subaqueous delta. Light gray to dark gray silty clay and
clayey silt (mean grain size Z 8e4 mm) composed the
sediments of the vibrocores Y5, Y6, Y7, and Y8, which
were located in sediment zone B (prodelta facies). Gray
silty clay (mean grain size Z 8e4 mm) interbedded with
ne sand (mean grain size Z 125 mm) overwhelmingly

93

dominated in vibrocore Y9 located in sediment zone C

(deltaeshelf transition).
The absolute contents of most of the heavy metals
studied (Fe, Zn, Ni, Mg, Co, Mn, Al, Ba, As, Pb, Ti, Cr,
Cu, Sr, and V) taken from the surface samples of the six
vibrocores tend to increase seaward from zone A to zone
B (Fig. 2a), but they decrease in zone C. Ga and Li seem
exceptional, because their concentrations increase seaward from zone A to zone C. However, after normalization to Al as proxy for grain size (Windom et al.,
1983), most heavy metals of the surface samples tend to
decrease in zone B. In addition, the normalized heavy
metal contents in zones A and C are clearly higher than
those in zone B, although Cu seems not to follow this
trend, but decreases from zone A to zone C (Fig. 2b).
The heavy metal concentrations in the vertical
sediment proles of the six vibrocores show several
distribution patterns on the basis of varied sedimentation rates. After examining thoroughly, vibrocore Y7
with suitable sedimentation rate (discussed below) was
selected as being representative of the down-core prole
pattern for the subaqueous Yangtze delta. In most cases,
heavy metal contents increase gradually upward from
the core bottom, for example, Mg, Zn, Cu, Co, Ti, Cr,
and V (Fig. 3a). Ni, Mn, and Fe contents also changed
gradually, but some uctuation is observed. The changes
in Al, Sr, Ba, Ga, As, and Pb contents are subtle, and in
some cases they even decrease upward. After normalization to Al, those that increased upward include Mg,
Zn, Cu, Co, Ti, Ni, Mn, Sr, Cr, Fe, V, and Li. Ba and Pb
do not change visibly, and Ga and As decrease slightly
upwards (Fig. 3b).
The isotope analysis of vibrocores Y4eY9 indicates
that the sedimentation rates are higher in zone B,
ranging from 2.0 to 6.6 cm/a in cores Y5, Y6, and Y7
(Fig. 4), although the rate is lower in Y8 (0.8e2.1 cm/a)
located on the seaward margin of zone B, contiguous
with zone C, which was dened as the transition
between the subaqueous delta and continental shelf
(Fig. 1; Chen et al., 2000). Sedimentation rates on Y4
and Y9 were not determinable (explanation given
below). The sedimentation rates calculated in the
present study were based on: (1) the identication of
the Cs-137 peak, which usually occurred in the lower
part of most vibrocores in the study area and which has
been identied worldwide with fallout from nuclear
weapons testing that took place in 1963 (Peirson, 1971;
Katsuragi, 1983; Katsuragi and Aoyama, 1986); and (2)
the recognition of an exponential trend in Pb-210
activity in the vibrocore sediments. Of note, the
sedimentation rate in some of the vibrocores could be
determined only from individual vibrocore sections, if
the radioisotope content was not well recorded through
the entire vibrocore sediment section (Fig. 4). In this
case, sedimentation rates in vibrocores Y4 and Y9 were
not reachable.

94

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

b: Normalized by Al

a: Absolute content (ppm)

3

50000

100

40000

Mn

80

30000

Zn

400 60

Fe

Mn

20000
Ni
Mg Co

10000

40

Co, Ni, Zn

Fe, Mg

600

20

Co, Fe, Li, Mg, Ni, Zn

800 120

0.02

2.5

Y1

Y4

Y5

Y6

Y7

Y8

Y9

80000

0.016

Zn

0.012

2
1.5

0.008
Fe

25

20

1.6

Y1

0.004
Co
Y4

Y5

Y6

Y7

Y8

Y9

Sr

40000

Al
Ba 10
300

30000
As

20000
10000

200
Y1

Y4

Y5

Y6

Y7

Y8

Y9

100

0.04

Ti
0.03

1.2

0.02

0.8

Pb
0.4

250 5

Ba

Ti

15

Ga

Cr, Pb, Sr, V

50000

As, Ba, Ga, Pb

Pb

60000

Al

Li

Ni

0.5

70000

Mn

Mg
0

Mn

60000

2500

2000

0.8

0.01

Cr

Y1

Y4

Y5

Y6

Y7

Y8

Y9

0.006

Sr

1500
Li
Cu

20
0

1000

Y4

Ba
0.004

0.6

0.003
0.4

0.002

As
500

Cr

Y1

As, Cu, Ga

60
40

0.005
Cu

Y5

Y6

Y7

Y8

Y9

Ba

Ti

Ti

Cr, Cu, Li, Sr, V

80

Ga

0.2
0

0.001
Y1

Y4

Y5

Y6

Y7

Y8

Y9

Fig. 2. (a) Heavy metal concentrations (absolute) of the surface samples from the six vibrocores. (b) Heavy metal contents of the surface samples after
normalization to aluminum. A, B and C imply dierent sediment zones as indicated in Fig. 1.

4. Discussion
The distribution of sediments (zones AeC) of the
Yangtze subaqueous delta in association with sediment
nature recorded in the vibrocores of the present study
highlights the correlation between grain size and heavy
metal concentrations. Our previous study shows that
zone A is the delta front facies, consisting in large part
of ne sand and sandy silt at a water depth of !10 m;
zone B is the prodelta facies, consisting primarily of silty
clay and clayey silt at water depths of 10e50 m; and
zone C is the deltaeshelf transition facies, consisting of
mixed clay, silt, and ne sand at water depths of
50e60 m (Chen et al., 2000). The sand in the latter facies
is derived from the late Pleistocene relict sand (zone D,
Fig. 1) reworked by submarine tidal currents. Without

doubt, zone B, which has the nest grain size, serves as

a depositional sink in the Yangtze estuary, attracting the
highest concentrations of heavy metals (Figs. 2 and 3;
see Xu et al., 1982; Wang et al., 2001).
Normalization to Al can eliminate the grain-size
eect, which helps evaluate quantitatively environmental contamination due to intensied anthropogenic
sources (Windom et al., 1983; Zhang et al., 1988;
Santschi et al., 2001). The results show that the contents
of most elements in the samples from the six vibrocores
tend to increase upward from the vibrocore bottom
(normalized values) (Fig. 3b). Compared with those
determined along the Yangtze coast, the heavy metal
contents in the study area both before and after
normalization are lower in general (Tables 1 and 2).
Zn, Mn, Fe, As, and Pb, which are considered to be the

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

Fig. 3. (a) Vertical distribution of heavy metal concentrations (absolute) in vibrocore Y7. (b) Variations in heavy metal contents after normalization to aluminum. Note that the horizon at 3.0 m
depth was dated to 1950 on the basis of the observed sedimentation rates; triangle Z ppm; solid oval Z element ! 104/Al.

95

96
Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100
Fig. 4. Sedimentation rates of the vibrocores determined on the basis of Cs-137 and Pb-210 measurements. Exponential curve is marked at places if there is the declining trend in Pb-210ex(Bq/g).
D.L. Z detection limit of the gamma spectrometer for Cs-137, shown by a dashed line.

Table 1
Absolute contents of heavy metals in vibrocore Y7 and from other studies of the Yangtze estuary, as cited
Sample Depth
(cm)

Mg
(ppm)

Zn
Cu
Co
Ti
Ni
Al
(ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm)

Mn
Sr
Cr
Ba
Fe
(ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm)

V
Li
Ga
As
Pb
Data
(ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) sources

Y1
Y2

2
2

!40
!40

9509.0 71.1
11,713.5 585.8

21.4
37.3

e
e

e
e

26.3
37.7

35,742.5 494.5
60,400.0 755.6

e
e

16.9
21.9

e
e

29,078.0 e
38,435.0 e

e
e

e
e

9.8
13.6

22.2
29.6

Yang, pers. comm.

C1
C2
C4
C5

3
4
5
9

!15
!39
!50
!85

14,030.0
15,100.0
13,953.0
18,183.0

92.1
65.7
47.5
62.7

30.1
26.5
30.0
32.0

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

29.5
25.4
26.3
28.0

54,460.0
46,303.0
37,753.0
70,293.0

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

48.2
43.3
39.8
43.4

e
e
e
e

34,956.0
38,680.0
37,023.0
49,607.0

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

11.8
24.8
22.0
54.4

19.7
14.6
11.5
15.4

Chen et al., 2001

Delta plain
11
Delta plain
11
Middle tidal at 8
Middle tidal at 8

!20
20e40
!20
20e40

e
e
e
e

51.5
53.6
45.3
48.3

14.1
17.8
17.3
12.2

20.5
20.9
19.7
17.4

e
e
e
e

25.9
26.6
21.5
19.8

e
e
e
e

436.3
438.3
447.2
339.8

e
e
e
e

20.4
23.1
22.7
26.9

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

10.4
10.6
9.7
8.2

Lu and Tang, 1998

Tidal at
Upper tidal at
Middle tidal at
Lower tidal at

38
?
?
?

Surface
Surface
Surface
Surface

e
e
e
e

145.8
238.8
130.6
154.9

76.9
84.3
75.8
77.8

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

70.3
92.1
68.9
70.1

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

40.2
56.2
41.1
43.8

Liu et al., 2000

Tidal at
Tidal at
Tidal at

11
13
1

Surface
Surface
Surface

e
e
e

102.3
91.5
550.9

42.8
14.2
45.4

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
65.1

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e

54.5
13.7
234.9

Xu et al., 1997

!50
!50
!50
!50
!50
!10

11,642.5 65.9
13,148.9 80.3
10,825.7 79.9
15,620.1 107.2
15,620.1 107.2
13,117.9 76.6

33.2
25.4
42.9
30.8
30.8
21.6

13.9
16.3
14.3
18.1
18.1
16.4

1824.9
1826.0
1619.9
1762.3
1762.3
1307.2

28.6
36.2
36.9
42.1
42.1
38.2

40,531.2
51,447.5
75,238.6
74,810.9
74,810.9
52,964.4

511.3
668.8
582.2
694.4
694.4
574.6

79.9
73.5
85.9
92.2
92.2
68.5

15.8
11.9
12.1
18.4
18.4
10.1

210.7
209.1
303.2
283.3
283.3
231.1

25,481.2
34,509.7
33,945.9
46,929.8
46,929.8
26,978.4

65.7
67.1
62.8
80.7
80.7
68.6

35.3
41.7
50.1
45.9
45.9
57.5

15.9
13.0
20.3
18.4
18.4
16.3

11.8
10.2
13.7
13.4
13.4
10.9

Y4
Y5
Y6
Y7
Y8
Y9

3
5
5
5
5
1

16.5
15.4
21.2
19.4
19.4
18.2

From author

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

Position

97

98

Table 2
Heavy metal contents of core Y7 after normalization to Al (as a proxy for grain size) and normalized values from other studies of the Yangtze estuary, as cited
Sample Depth
(cm)

Li ! Ga ! As ! Pb ! Al
Mg ! Zn ! Cu ! Co ! Ti ! Ni ! Mn ! Sr ! Cr ! Ba ! Fe ! V !
104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al 104/Al (ppm)

Data
sources

Y1
Y2

2
2

!40
!40

2660.4 19.9
1939.3 96.9

5.9
6.2

e
e

e
e

7.4
6.2

138.4
125.1

e
e

4.7
3.6

e
e

8135.4 e
6363.4 e

e
e

e
e

2.7
2.3

6.2
4.9

35,742.5 Yang,
60,400.0 pers. comm.

C1
C2
C4
C5

3
4
5
9

!15
!39
!50
!85

2576.2 16.9
3261.1 14.2
3695.9 12.6
2586.7 8.9

5.5
5.7
7.9
4.6

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

5.4
5.5
6.9
3.9

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

8.9
9.4
10.5
6.2

e
e
e
e

6418.7
8353.7
9806.6
7057.2

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

2.2
5.4
5.8
7.7

3.6
3.2
3.1
2.2

54,460.0
46,303.0 Chen et al.,
37,753.0 2001
70,293.0

Delta plain
11
Delta plain
11
Middle tidal at 8
Middle tidal at 8

!20
20e40
!20
20e40

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

Lu and
Tang, 1998

Tidal at
Upper tidal at
Middle tidal at
Lower tidal at

38
?
?
?

Surface
Surface
Surface
Surface

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

e
e
e
e

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Liu et al.,
2000

Tidal at
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1997

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126.2
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Y4
Y5
Y6
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Y9

3
5
5
5
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3.9
2.3
1.6
2.5
2.5
1.9

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

Position

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

major industrial contaminants in the Yangtze estuary,

are even lower than the national standard (Shanghai
Drainage Administration Division, 1985). Furthermore,
heavy metal concentrations in the Yangtze estuary are
also lower than those of other large estuaries of the
world (Zhang et al. 1988; Gerritse et al., 1998; Palanques
et al., 1998; Vallius, 1999).
The above phenomenon can be explained by what
is called the diluted setting of the Yangtze estuary,
in which a great amount of the freshwater ow
(925 ! 109 m3/y) and associated unpolluted suspended
sediment (4:86 ! 108 t/a) discharges into the estuary
annually. On entering into the estuary, heavy metals
would readily adsorb to the ne-grained sediment
particles, mostly as a clay fraction (!4 mm) that is
easily driven further seaward as estuarine plumes atop
the salt wedge (Chen et al., 1988; Chen et al., 2001). The
processes of adhering involve physical, chemical and
biological interactions, which would eectively transform heavy metals from aqueous to solid status or vice
versa (Wright and Mason, 1999; Lee and Cundy, 2001;
Zhang et al., 2001; Feng et al., 2002). The unique diluted
setting lessens the concentrations of the industrial
contaminants that are expelled from the many coastal
pollution sources, primarily located around Shanghai.
From the previous studies, a high concentration of
heavy metals would be expected in the subaqueous
Yangtze delta sediment, taking into account the large
amount of industrial inputs into the estuary (cf. Lin
et al., 2002). Contaminants that have adhered to the
ne-grained particles delivered from the Yangtze coast,
except for those that accumulate in the study area, are
further dispersed to the East China Sea, where they
increase the hazardous likelihood of marine resources
(Lin et al., 2002).
The incremental trend of heavy metals in the
vibrocore sediment prole after normalization, as
represented by that observed in core Y7, reects
a subaqueous environment that has become increasingly
polluted with the rapid development of industry on the
coast over the past 50 years (Fig. 3b). The many sewage
outlets located along the Yangtze coast expel millions of
tonnes of untreated industrial and domestic sewage
water into the estuary daily. As a result, economic and
social issues have emerged with respect to sheries, the
quality of reclamation, and diseases diused through the
food chain in the Yangtze estuary (Shanghai Drainage
Administration Division, 1985). It is worth mentioning
that the present problem of raw sewage discharge is
being largely addressed by the establishment of a systematic network of pipelines throughout the Shanghai
region that are linked to many eective sewage-water
treatment stations.
The radioisotope analysis of core Y7 indicates an
average sedimentation rate of 6.0 cm/a. Using a linear
extrapolation, this veries that the vibrocore horizon at

99

3.0 m depth was deposited in 1950. By examining the

sedimentation rates ranging from w2.0 to 6.0 cm/a of the
vibrocores (Y5, Y6, Y7) in the study area (Fig. 4), it is
understood that the sediments of vibrocores 2.0e3.0 m
long can be dated back to at least 50 years ago.
Therefore, vibrocores of the present study contain
a record of heavy metal concentrations associated with
industrial development in the area, which peaked after
1950 (Shanghai Drainage Administration Division,
1985). The sedimentation rate of Y4 was not determinable, probably due to higher sedimentation and relative
coarser sediment in zone A (delta front facies; Chen
et al., 2000)dconditions that usually cannot preserve
a sucient radioisotope content. Also, vibrocore Y9
located on the subaqueous delta margin did not result in
a good record of radioisotope activity over the past 50
years, primarily due to extremely low sedimentation
rate.

5. Summary
The Yangtze estuary is a huge sedimentary depocenter. The numerous heavy metals discharged along the
Yangtze coast, primarily from the Shanghai Metropolitan area, have been carried into the estuary by
adsorption onto ne-grained suspended sediments,
resulting in serious pollution of the densely populated
coastal environment and ecosystem. However, the heavy
metals examined in the present study are present in
lower concentrations in the Yangtze subaqueous delta
than along the coast, and in some other estuaries around
the world. This unusual distribution is explained by the
diluted setting of the Yangtze estuary, into which more
than 900 billion cubic meters of freshwater and
associated suspended sediment from the Yangtze River
are discharged annually as freshwater plumes being
driven away further seaward. Heavy metals carried by
the unpolluted uvial suspended sediment are the main
course of dilution.

Acknowledgements
Appreciation should be given to three anonymous
reviewers, who largely shaped the manuscript and
upgraded the scientic value. The authors are also
indebted to the No. 1 Marine Geological Survey,
Shanghai, for the coring. The China National Natural
Science Foundation (40206005), Asia-Pacic Network
for Global Change Research and Global Change System
for Analysis, Research and Training (2003-12), the
Shanghai Priority Academic Discipline, and Global
Environment Research, Ministry of the Environment
of Japan supported this research project.

100

Z. Chen et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 60 (2004) 91e100

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