Study on AVS and SEM in surface sediment of the Yellow River Estuary

Acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) of 11 surface sediment samples collected from the Sea Area of the Yellow River Estuary were determined. The AVS, SEM, SEM-AVS and their distributions were analyzed. The result shows: AVS in the surface sediment of the sea area was between 0.152 and 1.847µmol/g (dry weight), with mean value being 0.935µmol/g (dry weight); SEM in the surface sediment of the sea area was between 0.899 and 1.863µmol/g (dry weight), with mean value being 1.327µmol/g (dry weight);The SEM-AVS in the surface sediment of the sea area was between - 0.594 and 1.365µmol/g (dry weight), with mean value being 0.392µmol/g (dry weight); The metals (SEM) in the surface sediment of the Yellow River mouth probably had some toxicity to the life; the metals (SEM) in the surface sediment of the east and north of the sea areas are safe; the toxicity of metals (SEM) in the surface sediment of the Laizhou bay gradually diminishes.