Abstract
Background: Land and water pollution by heavy metals is a universal issue. Although the pollution affects all countries, but its range and severity vary hugely. The pollution of the marine environment by heavy metals is a worldwide problem. Marine sediments can be sensitive indicators for monitoring contaminants in aquatic environments. Methods: The concentration of 10 elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Al, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn) was determined in the sediments of four shoreline stations including Imam Hassan port, Ameri port, Bushehr port, and Nayband Bay at the west Persian Gulf from March to December 2017. The elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: The contamination of the sediments was assessed based on the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and enrichment factor (EF). Spearman correlation matrix was calculated between all the trace metals and major elements as well as corresponding sampling regions. Statistically significant inter-elemental correlations (e.g., Cr-Fe, Cr-Al, Cr-Ni, Cr-Zn, and Cr-Cu) were found between some metals. High EF levels for Fe, Al, and Pb suggest that metals in the sediments of the northern Persian Gulf could have originated from anthropogenic sources. Conclusion: The contamination pattern of sediments is affected by factors such as sedimentation patterns, physical and chemical properties of the sediments. For example, sediments with fine-grained and high surface area-to-volume ratio can act as good absorbents for many pollutants. Keywords: Heavy metals, Geologic sediment, Persian Gulf, Bushehr
Highlights
The pollution of marine environment by heavy metals is a worldwide problem
The heavy metals concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) in Zarazma Co
enrichment factor (EF) was used as an index to evaluate anthropogenic influences of heavy metals in sediments
Summary
The pollution affects all countries, but its range and severity vary hugely In this regard, marine sediments can be sensitive indicators for monitoring contaminants in aquatic environments [1,2]. Heavy metals pollute marine sediments and other aquatic ecosystems, which happen due to industrialization [5,6]. Directly or indirectly, are discharged into the marine environment every day. In this regard, heavy metals are considered as serious pollutants of the aquatic environments due to their accumulative behavior [7,8]. Marine sediments can be sensitive indicators for monitoring contaminants in aquatic environments. Assessing some heavy metals pollutions in sediments of the northern Persian Gulf (Bushehr province).
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