The Role of Acid-Volatile Sulfide for Toxicity of Heavy Metals in Sediment of Rivers in Hong Kong

JIA Zhenbang, LIANG Tao

(The Urban and Environmental Science Department of Peking University, Beijing, 100871)

LAM Kinche, LIU Fengwei

(The Geography Department of Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, N.T., Shatin)


Abstract:
The contents of heavy metals in sediment are decided by lots of factors such as pH, Eh, TOC, Fe-Mn oxide etc. And their toxicity are up to their forms, bioavailability and environmental features. It is well know that heavy metals can form sulfides that are not soluble in water, but we are not quite clear with acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) can also form sulfides with the heavy metals. AVS plays an important role on mediating the toxicity of the heavy metals in sediment. We assessed the pollution of heavy metals in the main rivers of Hong Kong based on the molar ratio of Simultaneous Extract Metals (SEM) and AVS. This method is helpful on predicting the toxicity of heavy metals.

Key words:
Hong Kong; sediment; heavy metals; toxicity; AVS; SEM

(R.D.1997-06-06 P.D.1998-04-20 Vol.34 No.2 pp.379-386)



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