Marine sediments from Lianshan Bay in Huludao, China, were studied in laboratory. A series of simulated experiments were carried out to investigate the influences of three kinds of anions Cl-, SO42- and HCO3- on the release of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn from the sediments. The results showed that the sequences about the impact of the three anions were Cl->HCO3->SO42-. The release potential of heavy metals in the presence of each anions was in the following order: CdCu>Zn≈Pb. The correlations were positive between Cl- content and the quantity of Cd released from the marine sediment, whereas there was no significant relationship between Cl- content and amount of Cu and Zn released. For SO42- and HCO3-, the release of the heavy metals from marine sediments was not obvious. Marine sediments from Lianshan Bay in Huludao, China, were studied in laboratory. A series of simulated experiments were carried out to investigate the influences of three kinds of anions Cl-, SO42- and HCO3- on the release of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn from the sediments. The results showed that the sequences about the impact of the three anions were Cl-> HCO3-> SO42-. The release potential of heavy metals in the presence of each anions was in the following order: CdCu> Zn≈ Pb. The correlations were positive between Cl- content and the quantity of Cd released from the marine sediment, there was no significant relationship between Cl- content and amount of Cu and Zn released. For SO42- and HCO3-, the release of the heavy metals from marine sediments was not obvious.