BaselineMetal elements in the bottom sediments of the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent continental shelf of the East China Sea

- Metal distributions both in the surface and core sediments were investigated.
- Empirical methods were employed to identify the potential provenances of metals.
- EF distributions for metals in surface and core sediments were analyzed.
- Arsenic (As) appeared to be contaminated from 1980s in the inner shelf.
- Potential ecological risk was low in the coastal sea off the Changjiang.

The metal elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb and Ca) in the bottom sediment of the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent continental shelf of the East China Sea were studied to map their spatial distribution and to assess their potential risk to the marine biota. These metal concentrations except Ca were generally higher in the inner shelf and northeastern part, and were found to decrease from the coast to the offshore of the Changjiang Estuary. Sedimentary Ca was most abundant in the outer shelf sediments and decreased in inner shelf. Arsenic (As) appeared to be contaminated due to economic development from 1980s in the inner shelf overall, but the potential ecological risk from the selected metals was low in the coastal sea off the Changjiang.