Investigation on metal pollution in the sediment of Chongqing segment of Yangtse River.

ABSTRACT

Basing on experiment dada collected from 1995 to 2007 at Chongqing segment of Yangtse River, the pollution and the potential toxic effect of sediment were depicted and characterized by using the Index of Geoaccumulation (I(geo)) method and the Logistic Regression model respectively. Results showed that the sediment had been slightly polluted by metals and had possible adverse effect on aquatic life. According to the I(geo), the order of the analyzed metals, arranging from highest to lowest pollution degree, was Cd > Hg > Pb > Cu > Zn > As. Meanwhile, sediment contamination level had been obviously decreasing before the storing water of Three Gorge Reservoir.