[Assessment and characterization of heavy metals and nutrients in sediments from Taihu Lake].

The concentrations of Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Pb, Al, Fe, iron-bound P (Fe-P) and TP in the sediments from Taihu Lake, a eutrophic shallow lake, China, were determined. The results show that the concentrations of heavy metals are higher than those in the earth crust. Particularly, enrichments of Cr and Pb are more conspicuous than other metals. Moreover, the Pb content in all the sample sites increase markedly from bottom to top, which related to the numerous run-off of Pb-containing wastewater and atmospheric precipitation since 1950. Pollution level in Zhushan Bay of heavy metals and phosphorus is much more serious than other lake regions, and heavy metals and phosphorus contents increase rapidly from about 20 cm of the sediment profile upward, which reveal that the Zhushan Bay is a serious sewage discharging area since 1950. Besides, the significant correlation between Fe-P and TP indicates that Fe-P is an important phosphorus form which can release into the overlying water and be ingested by aquatic organism. That is, Fe-P is responsible for the algae bloom in north and northwest region of Taihu Lake.