Volume 11, Issue 1 (Winter 2022)
Arch Hyg Sci 2022, 11(1): 73-90 |
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Asghari F, Salavati M, Hakimi Asiabar S, Shariati F. Geochemical Study of Heavy Metal Contamination of Shalmanrud River Sediments. Arch Hyg Sci 2022; 11 (1) :73-90
URL: http://jhygiene.muq.ac.ir/article-1-555-en.html
URL: http://jhygiene.muq.ac.ir/article-1-555-en.html
1- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.
2- Department of Environment, Faculty of Science, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.
2- Department of Environment, Faculty of Science, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.
Abstract: (1012 Views)
Background & Aims: Due to chemical stability, low degradation, and high bioaccumulation
power at different levels of the food chain, heavy metals pose many ecological hazards to living
organisms. Therefore, the present study investigated the concentrations of heavy metals As, Cr,
Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn and evaluated the ecological, carcinogenic, and non-carcinogenic risks of
the sediments of the Shalmanrud river.
Materials and Methods: Nineteen samples were taken from 15 stations in summer 2021 as
control and geochemical background to investigate the heavy metal contamination of the
sediments of the Shalmanrud river. After preparation, the samples were chemically degraded
using the ICPOES method with the digestion of four acids. Indicators of origin and contamination
degree, including geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Pollution Load Index
(PLI), Contamination Factor (CF), and Contamination degree (Cd), were calculated to assess the
level of sediment contamination.
Results: Statistical results showed that the mean concentration of heavy metals increased as As
Ni> Cu> V> Zn> Cr>As. The EF index for all studied metals except two samples of Pb metal
was less than 1, which indicates the lack of human activity and geogenic concentration of heavy
metals in the area due to the geological characteristics of the area. The Contamination Factor (CF)
study showed that most samples are in the low to medium contamination class. The results of the
Contamination degree (Cd) of most samples of Shalmanrud river showed a moderate contamination
trend. Examination of the Pollution Load Index (PLI) showed that most samples were not polluted
in the Shalmanrud river. The Ecological Risk (ER) index and Environmental Risk (ER) index
of heavy metals indicated a low risk of heavy metals in the sediments of the Shalmanrud river.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the potential risk for cancer and noncancerous
diseases in children was higher than adults and by estimating the non-carcinogenic
risk of all pathways (HI), Cr> As> Pb metals in the swallowing pathway and V> Ni> Cr metals
were unauthorized in the study area and are hazardous to the health of residents around the
Shalmanrud river. The study of contamination indices for Pb, Ni, and Cu metals showed a high
level of contamination compared to other heavy metals in the area, which reflects the relatively
heterogeneous distribution of these metals due to the geochemical diversity of geological units in
the area and anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture, etc.
power at different levels of the food chain, heavy metals pose many ecological hazards to living
organisms. Therefore, the present study investigated the concentrations of heavy metals As, Cr,
Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn and evaluated the ecological, carcinogenic, and non-carcinogenic risks of
the sediments of the Shalmanrud river.
Materials and Methods: Nineteen samples were taken from 15 stations in summer 2021 as
control and geochemical background to investigate the heavy metal contamination of the
sediments of the Shalmanrud river. After preparation, the samples were chemically degraded
using the ICPOES method with the digestion of four acids. Indicators of origin and contamination
degree, including geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Pollution Load Index
(PLI), Contamination Factor (CF), and Contamination degree (Cd), were calculated to assess the
level of sediment contamination.
Results: Statistical results showed that the mean concentration of heavy metals increased as As
Ni> Cu> V> Zn> Cr>As. The EF index for all studied metals except two samples of Pb metal
was less than 1, which indicates the lack of human activity and geogenic concentration of heavy
metals in the area due to the geological characteristics of the area. The Contamination Factor (CF)
study showed that most samples are in the low to medium contamination class. The results of the
Contamination degree (Cd) of most samples of Shalmanrud river showed a moderate contamination
trend. Examination of the Pollution Load Index (PLI) showed that most samples were not polluted
in the Shalmanrud river. The Ecological Risk (ER) index and Environmental Risk (ER) index
of heavy metals indicated a low risk of heavy metals in the sediments of the Shalmanrud river.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the potential risk for cancer and noncancerous
diseases in children was higher than adults and by estimating the non-carcinogenic
risk of all pathways (HI), Cr> As> Pb metals in the swallowing pathway and V> Ni> Cr metals
were unauthorized in the study area and are hazardous to the health of residents around the
Shalmanrud river. The study of contamination indices for Pb, Ni, and Cu metals showed a high
level of contamination compared to other heavy metals in the area, which reflects the relatively
heterogeneous distribution of these metals due to the geochemical diversity of geological units in
the area and anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture, etc.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
Environmental Health
Received: 2021/09/21 | Accepted: 2021/10/31 | Published: 2022/03/19
Received: 2021/09/21 | Accepted: 2021/10/31 | Published: 2022/03/19
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