Abstract: Based on the investigation on 6 heavy metals(Cu 、Pb、Zn、Cd、As、Hg) at 9 sites in Anhai Bay in August2014, the distribution of heavy metals were analyzed, heavy metals content was evaluated with single factor index
 method,and pollution level of heavy metal was evaluated with the potential ecological risk index. Results showed that copper (Cu) content was measured between 11.4 and 123.0 g/g with average 55.3 ug/g,lead (Pb) content between 18.4 and 39.8ug/g with average 34.7 ug/g,zinc ( Zn) content between 31.8 and 173.0ug/g with average 100.0ug/g, cadmium (Cd) content between 0.06 and 0.36ug/g with average 0. 14 ug/g,arsenic ( As)
content between 4.01 and 9.60 ug/g with average 6.67ug/g, mercury (Hg) content between 0.005 and 0.115ug/g with average 0.036ug/g. The content of heavy metals decreased gradually from the top of the bay to inner
bay and the bay mouth with the highest value at site AHI and AH5. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, Hg were fit in class 1 of the National Marine Sediment Standard. The fitting rate of Cu and Zn to the class 1 is in 44. 4% and77. 8% , respectively. Positive correlations aie evident among the metals. Individual potential Ecological risk coefficient of heavy metals were in sequences of Cd > Hg > As > Cu > Pb > Zn. The potential ecological risk index ( RI)indicates that site AHI was in the strong potential ecological risk, site AH5 was moderately polluted and the remai-ning sites were in the lightly potential ecological risk. Among them heavy mental Cd has the greatest potential eco-logical risk. It suggested that the pollution of heavy metals in site AHI and AH5 is much higher than that in other sites and might be due to many terrigenous pollutants in the top of the bay and the Dongshi outlet. The sediment environment of Anhai Bay has suffered heavy mental pollution in different degree, which indicated that the pollution of heavy metals was probably caused by industrial activities and land source pollution in Anhai Bay. Therefore, it is of great importance to control the discharge of the heavy metal through river inflow and economic activity to protect the ecological environment of the sediments in Anhai Bay.