Total nitrogen and pH-controlled chemical speciation, bioavailability and ecological risk from Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in the water level-fluctuating zone sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir

We investigated the distribution and chemical speciation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in the water level-fluctuating (WLF) zone of the main stream (MS) and tributaries (ZX and MX) of the Three Gorges Reservoir. We evaluated the ecological risk and pollution level from heavy metals based on the Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI), Risk Assessment Code (RAC), and Ratio of Secondary Phase and Primary Phase (RSP). Our results indicated that the total and bio-available heavy metal contents were higher in the tributaries than in the MS. Moderate pollution from Cd and light pollution from Pb were observed both at the MS and ZX sites, whereas the MX site exhibited a pattern of heavy Cd pollution and light Cr and Pb pollution. In our study area, the results indicated that Cd exhibited a higher ecological risk than did the other heavy metals. Finally, the pH and nitrogen content of sediments may play a key role in controlling the amount of heavy metal bioavailability, further inducing a higher potential ecological risk