Assessment of toxic metal contamination, distribution and risk in the sediments from lagoons used for fish farming in the central region of Peru.

Toxic metal contamination, distribution and risk were evaluated in the sediments of three lagoons used for fish farming in the central region of Peru. The distribution of toxic metals in the sediment was in the following descending order of Zn > V > Ni > Cu > Pb > As > Cr > Co > Cd > Sb. Contamination factor (Cf) and geoaccumulation index (I) values for Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, V and Zn indicated low contamination and for Cd moderate contamination.