Time-resolved spatial profiles of Zeff in JIPP T-II tokamak plasmas have been determined from the measurement of bremsstrahlung in the visible spectral region. The effective ion charge Zeff increases at the plasma centre and decreases at the plasma periphery in the high-electron-density regime. The emissions from low ionization states of light impurities increase notably in the region of lower electron temperatures in this regime. As a result, impurities accumulate in the plasma centre in the high-density regime. The results obtained with respect to the plasma periphery support the interpretation of the behaviour of the impurities, which is based on VUV spectroscopic studies.