*2.4. Analytical Methods of Cu Concentrations in Water and Sediment Samples*

The collected water samples were immediately filtered through 0.45 µm cellulose acetate membranes. The filtrate was then digested by nitric acid followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The dissolved Cu in sediment samples was pretreated following the instructions in the pretreatment guideline of heavy metals analysis in the marine sediments and organisms-Microwave assisted acid digestion [35] followed by Fire Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS).
