Betermining of Heavy Metal Content in Sediment Cores from the Thi Nai Lagoon, Quy Nhon, Viet Nam by ICP-MS Method
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study presents the results of analyzing the heavy metal content in 23 real sediment samples at depths from 0 cm to 92 cm in Thi Nai Lagoon, Quy Nhon, Vietnam, using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), after processing by wet inorganicization in a microwave oven. The analysis results showed that almost all metal elements were present in the sediment samples except for Cd, Se, and V, which were below the detection limit of the method. The metal content decreased in the following order: Fe > Zn > Mn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Ni > Co > As, Sb, Hg, Ag. The highest Fe content was in the range of 11075 – 15799 mg/kg, followed by Zn in the range of 3562 – 5527 mg/kg, and Mn content ranging from 295 - 420 mg/kg. The concentration of metals (Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co) ranged from 1.1 to 31 mg/kg. Heavy metals such as As, Sb, Hg, and Ag have low concentrations, ranging from 0.04 to 5.2 mg/kg. Compared to the levels stipulated in QCVN 43:2025/BNNMT, which specifies the limits for surface water and marine sediment quality, the sediments in Thi Nai Lagoon, Quy Nhon, show signs of high accumulation of Zn (many times higher than the QCVN standard). The concentration of metals increases with depth from 20 cm to the surface near the Total Excess Energy Levels (TELs) in recent years, indicating the strong impact of human activities on the aquatic environment, causing metals to deposit at the sediment surface.
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