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Abstract
A total of 49 sediment samples from New Bian River near the city of Suzhou in northern Anhui Province, China, were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for As, Cr, Pb, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Ni. Geoaccumulation indices (Igeo) were used to assess the influence of human activities. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis were also performed. The geoaccumulation indices were in the order of As > Cu > Cr > Ni > Mn > Zn > Pb > Fe, the first four of which had values above 0.5. We considered New Bian River to be moderately contaminated with As, Cr, Cu, and Ni. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis indicated that the presence of Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn, and Pb in New Bian River was caused by soil or rock weathering, whereas the elevated levels of As and Cr depended upon urban, agricultural, and industrial factors. The sampling stations around the towns were dominated by Component 2 (As and Cr), and the sampling stations that distributed along New Bian River were dominated by Component 1 (Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn, and Pb).