Metal accumulation in benthic invertebrates and sediments at the Kaohsiung Ocean Disposal Site, Taiwan

Abstract

The distribution of metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni) in the sediments and in benthic invertebrates (arthropod, echinoderm, and mollusc) from the Kaohsiung Ocean Disposal Site (KODS) during 2014 was studied in terms of biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF). The mean concentration of metals in the sediments varied in the following order: Zn >> Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Hg > Cd. Results showed that the metal concentration in the sediments from the KODS was in agreement with that of other Asia harbors; there was no drastically high metal level in the Kaohsiung area. Results also showed that arthropod Acanthephyra species had accumulated high metal concentrations (e.g. 0.53, 3.02, 6.80, 53.24, 162.2, and 1.42 μg g⁻¹ of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Ni, respectively), whereas mollusc Fusinus hyphalus had the lowest metal concentration. A positive correlation (p < 0.01) was observed between the concentration of Cr in the sediments and in arthropods. For all benthic invertebrates investigated, the BSAF of Cd and Hg were higher than 1.0. Especially the BSAF of Cd was remarkably high, e.g. for arthropods (30.0), echinoderms (38.7), and molluscs (42.2); whereas the BSAF of Pb, Cr, and Ni were low (BSAF << 1.0). According to the above results, benthic invertebrate of arthropods had a large metal accumulation capacity and thus could be suggested as the bioindicator of metal contamination of marine systems in further studies.

Keywords:

• Bioaccumulation
• Metals
• Sediments
• Benthic invertebrates

Acknowlegments

This work was supported by the Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau, Taiwan. The authors wish to express the gratitude to the members of the Center for the Study of Sediments, National Kaohsiung Marine University for their assistance. Also, the authors thank professor C.P. Huang of University of Delaware, US for his support throughout this study and proof read the manuscript.

Notes

Presented at the 8th International Conference on Challenges in Environmental Science & Engineering (CESE-2015) 28 September–2 October 2015, Sydney, Australia