Heavy metals pollution in lakes of Wuhan City

In consideration of the toxicity of heavy metals to organisms,the distributions of heavy metals,including Hg,Cd,As,Pb,Cu,Cr,Ni,and Zn in waters,sediments and fishes of six lakes in urban,suburban and outer suburb areas in Wuhan were investigated.Hg was measured by AFS,while other heavy metals were measured by ICP-MS.Results showed that the contents of heavy metals in samples from urban lakes were generally higher than samples from suburban lakes,and the concentrations of heavy metals in water and sediment samples distinctly increased as compared with background values.However the concentration of heavy metals in most water samples could meet grade Ⅲ of environmental quality standards for surface water,and that in fish was also under the permissible levels given by national sanitation standard.Lakes in urban regions were seriously affected by human disturbances as compared with the suburban lakes.