Monitoring　spatial　and　temporal　chemical　status　of　water　bodies　is　crucial　to　assist　environmental　policy,　identify　the　chemical　fingerprints,　and　further　reduce　the　source　orientated　pollutants.　Elbe　River　is　one　of　the　major　rivers　affected　by　anthropogenic　activities　in　vicinity　countries.　This　study　assessed　the　spatiotemporal　changes　in　response　to　source　shift　of　Cd,　Cu,　Ni,　Pb,　and　Zn　in　the　suspended　particulate　matter　(SPM)　at　upstream,　midstream,　and　downstream　of　the　Elbe　River　reach　in　Saxony　state,　Germany.　The　average　contents　of　trace　metals　in　SPM　was　found　in　the　order　of　Zn　(676　mg/kg)　»　Pb　(79　mg/kg)　＞　Cu　(74　mg/kg)　＞　Ni　(48　mg/kg)　»　Cd　(3.2　mg/kg).　According　to　the　Mann-Kendall　trend　test,　Cd,　Cu,　Pb,　and　Zn　showed　significant　declines　over　1998–2016.　The　results　of　source　apportionment　indicate　industrial,　urban,　natural,　and　historical　mining　sources　influencing　the　metal　contents　in　the　Elbe　River　of　Saxony.　The　contributions　of　industrial　and　urban　pollution　decreased　by　58.2%　from　1998　to　2007　to　2008–2016.　The　contribution　of　the　natural　source　was　steady　over　the　last　two　decades.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd