Abstract: An investigation was made on the heavy metals in the river waters, groundwater along river banks, and surface sediments in the rivers in Shenyang. In the meantime, the pollution index and potential ecological risk index were used to evaluate the pollution levels of the heavy metals. The As concentration in the river waters ranged in 0.49-11.9 μg·L^-1, and was in the order of Shenyang-Fushun Irrigation Channel > Puhe River > Xihe River > Hunhe River; the Cd concentration ranged in 0.01-0.66 μg·L^-1, being in the order of Xihe River > the Shenyang-Fushun Irrigation Channel > Hunhe River > Puhe River; and the Zn concentration ranged in 1.0-115 μg·L^-1, with the highest concentration in Shenyang-Fushun Irrigation Channel. The highest concentrations of Pb, Cu, and Cr were found in Xihe River. The single pollution index and Nemero index of the 6 heavy metals in Hunhe River and Puhe River were all less than 1.0, but the two indices of Cr and Cd in Shenyang-Fushun Irrigation Channel were higher than 1.0, classified as at slightly polluted level. The Nemero index of Xihe River in summer was higher than 1.0, classified as at slightly polluted level. The Cd and Cr pollution in the shallow groundwater adjacent to Xihe River was more serious, with the Nemero index higher than 1.0 and even over 2.0, classified as at medium pollution level. All the pollution indices of the deep groundwater and rice field water adjacent to Xihe River were less than 10. The sediments in Puhe River and Hunhe River ranked at the low potential ecological risk for the 6 heavy metals. The Cd in the sediments in Xihe River ranked as very high level risk, and Cu ranked as medium-level risk. The pollution sources could be classified as three categories, i.e., (1) waste water discharge and solid wastes, (2) utilization of phosphorous fertilizers and manure, and (3) pollutants discharged from metallurgical, electro-plating, and stainless steel industries.

Key words: Poplar, Black locust, Nutrient transfer ways, Mycorrhizal hyphal links