Heavy Metal Pollution from Treated Sewage Effluent

Abstract

Heavy metals were monitored from four sources: treated sewage effluent (TSE), sediment, snails, and grass roots. Using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), the results indicated that heavy metal values increase from the TSE to rest of the three sources. High values of heavy metals that were detected in the four sources were Cu, Ni and Zn. Many heavy metals exceeded the Minimum Permissible Levels (MPL) for wastewater discharge and reuse in Oman. Continuous monitoring of the heavy metal accumulation in the environment must be implemented to avoid health risk and further deterioration of the environment.