A study on the heavy metal contents of Merang coastal sediments

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the heavy metal contents in the Merang Coastal sediments. Seventeen samples of surface sediments were collected during June 2011. The sediment characteristics and concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb and Cd were determined. Concentrations of heavy metals were generally lower than average shales. The average concentration of heavy metals were 3.15% for Fe, 75.47μg/g for Mn, 7.48μg/g for Cu, 34.38μg/g for Cr, 15.71μg/g for Zn, 6.78μg/g for Pb and 0.07μg/g for Cd. The correlation between heavy metals and sediment mean size and the correlation between heavy metals and organic carbon were almost negligible relationship. Enrichment factor (EF) indicated that heavy metals concentration were of background levels.