Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element that poses harmful effects on human and ecosystem health even at extremely low concentrations. And then the ecological risk level of heavy metals in the sediments was evaluated ( Li et al., 2020). The water quality criterion (WQC) was determined based on the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method, and the SQC was derived using the EqP approach ( Jiang et al., 2020). The research on the SQC in China started later and due to the lack of biological toxicological data and field biological monitoring data, the EqP approach was adopted in several studies in China ( Liu et al., 1999 Chen et al., 2006b Zhu et al., 2009b). As environmental criteria have regional property, it is necessary for China to embark on development of its own national environmental criteria ( Wu et al., 2010). Many countries and regions have also carried out studies on the SQC ( Van et al., 1991 Webster and rodhway, 1994 Smith et al., 1996 MacDonald et al., 2003 Simpson et al., 2011). Environmental Protection Agency in 1985 ( USEPA, 2005) and is the first choice to establish a numerical SQC ( Burton, 2002). The EqP approach was proposed by the U.S. Among them, the phase-equilibrium partitioning (EqP) approach and biological effect database method are widely used ( Zhu et al., 2009a MacDonald et al., 2000 Chen et al., 2006a). The research on SQC abroad began in the 1980s, and several methods for establishing the SQC have been put forward. Besides, the SQC can also be used to evaluate the impact of pollutants combined with sediments and provide a basis for scientific management of sediments ( Gaudet et al., 1995 MacDonald et al., 2000). The sediment quality criterion (SQC) is a critical level to protect aquatic life associated with sediment from pollutants. Therefore, it is very important to protect them from pollution to maintain a good aquatic ecological environment ( Zhu et al., 2009a Shang et al., 2012). Sediment is not only the habitat of benthos but also an important part of the aquatic ecosystem as it is the “sink” and “source” of pollutants. The results provide support for environmental management and risk assessment of Hg. The SQC of Hg was calculated to be 108.9 ng/g, and the ecological risk of Hg in the sediments of Taihu Lake is in the middle level, indicating that Hg pollution needs to be paid more attention. The results showed that Hg was detected in all the 30 sediment samples, and the concentrations of Hg ranged from 9.7 ng/g to 237.0 ng/g, with an average of 76.3 ng/g. In addition, the sediment quality criterion (SQC) of Hg was derived using tissue-based toxicity data combined with the phase-equilibrium partitioning (EqP) approach, and the ecological risk level of Hg in Taihu Lake sediment was evaluated. The distribution characteristics and ecological risk of Hg in sediments from Taihu Lake were studied. Mercury (Hg), as one kind of bioaccumulative and persistent pollutant, could cause great harm to water ecology and health, and has been widely concerned.
Persistent pollutants are easily accumulated in sediments, which can cause toxicity to benthos and secondary pollution to water.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China.Hailei Su, Di Shi, Jiwei Yang, Yanru Tao, Fuhong Sun* and Yuan Wei*
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