QUANTIFICATION OF THE ANTHROPOGENIC CONTRIBUTION FOR THE RIVER WATER POLLUTION: A CASE STUDY.

Quantification of the anthropogenic contribution for the pollution is important for the management of the environment. In this study, water samples from the Bian River in Suzhou, northern Anhui Province, China have been collected and analyzed for eight kinds of trace metal concentrations, and then analyzed by statistical methods for quantifying the natural and anthropogenic contributions. The results indicate that the water samples have mean concentrations of Cr > Cu > Ni > V > Zn > Ti > Co > Mn, and the medium coefficients of variations indicate that the water in the Bian River has not been dramatically affected by human activities. Factor analysis has identified three sources responsible for the trace metal concentrations, including two natural/geological sources and one anthropogenic source. Three sources have also been determined by Unmix model, and the anthropogenic contributions for the total Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn are 25.3%, 26.7%, 31.3%, 58.9%, 28.1%, 32.1%, 42.4% and 32.5%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]