Distribution Characteristic and Potential Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediments of the Luanhe River

River sediments are both the source and sink of heavy metal pollution, which has a significant effect on the water environment. In order to determine the pollution levels of heavy metals in the Luanhe River, heavy metal concentrations in sediments were detected by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Additionally, the distribution characteristics and potential ecological risks were studied by potential ecological risk assessment. The results show that the average contents of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were 60.40, 26.15, 48.07, 76.42, 0.30 and 25.55 mg/kg, respectively. Among the six elements, the contents of Cu and Cd were higher than background values of stream sediments in China. In the mainstream, heavy metal concentrations increased from upstream to downstream. The pyroxies of potential ecological risk assessment indicated that the pollution degrees of heavy metals were: Cd>Cu>Pb>Cr>Zn, and Cd was the predominant pollution element among them. In general, the Luanhe River was moderately contaminated by heavy metals. However, the pollution of the Da Heiting reservoirs and Baohe River (Kuancheng) were at high risk level.