SEDL / STP / STP1293-EB / STP15992S

Heavy Metal Concentration in Bay Sediments of Japan

Fukue, M
Professor and associate professors, Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, Shimizu,

Koto, Y
Professor and associate professors, Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, Shimizu,

Nakamura, T
Professor and associate professors, Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, Shimizu,

Yamasaki, S
Aoki Marine Ltd., Osaka,

Pages: 16    Published: Jan 1995

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Abstract

Because industry discharge wastes into the sea, marine sediments can be contaminated with various kinds of hazardous and toxic substances. This study discusses how the “degree of pollution” of heavy metals affects the marine sediments from Osaka Bay and Tokyo Bay.

In this study, the concentrations of various metals, such as manganese, iron, aluminum, titanium, vanadium, copper, phosphorus, etc., were measured from sediment samples obtained from different sites in the bays. However, the results had to be corrected because background concentrations for each metal differ with site location and grain size characteristics. The large difference between background and individual concentrations at various soil depths indicates that the surface layers of the seabed are significantly polluted with some species of heavy metal and other elements.