Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments of Tuohe River, Anhui Province, China
In this study,sixteen sediment samples on Tuohe River were chemically analyzed in order to determine the concentration,origin and pollution intensity of heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd). The concentration of these elements was determined by using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Then a cluster analysis has conducted using Minitab software. The obtained results showed that the concentration of heavy elements are transitive as compared with the average concentration of these elements in ground surface and global sediments and they controlled by geological units. Lime units play the most important role to control the concentration of elements. Based on Muller geochemical index, the sediments in Tuohe River are not polluted.