African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Full Length Research Paper

Accumulation and bioaccessibility of trace elements in wetland sediments

Azamalsadat Hosseini Alhashemi1*, Abdol Reza Karbassi2, Bahram Hassanzadeh Kiabi3, Seyed Massoud Monavari1 and Mohammad Bagher Nabavi4
  1Department of Environmental Science, Graduate School of Environment and Energy, Science and Research Campus, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 2Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, P.O.Box 14155-6135, Tehran, Iran. 3Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Tehran, Iran. 4Marine Ecobiology Faculty, University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 02 September 2010
  •  Published: 28 February 2011

Abstract

 

Accumulation of trace metals in sediment can cause severe ecological impacts. In this study, determination of elemental concentrations in water and sediment was done. Shadegan wetland is one of the most important wetlands in southwest of Iran and is among the Ramsar-listed wetlands. Wastewaters from industries, urban activities and agricultural run off are released into this unique wetland in the region. In the present investigation, 12 sampling stations were selected for water and sediment collection in Shadegan wetland during winter, 2009. Physico-chemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity and salinity of water and pH, EC, total organic materials (TOM), grain size fraction and elements (Al, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) in sediments were measured. Also, macrobenthos communities were identified in sediments due to their important role in ecosystem health. Subsequently, lithogenous and anthropogenic portions of trace metals in sediment, trace elements bioaccessibility, along with Igeo and IPOLLindices were measured. According to obtained results, trace elements including Cu (39.5%), Pb (26%), Cr (24.1%), Cd (16.4%) and Zn (13.6%) had highest anthropogenic portion in study area. The two pollution indices used in the present investigation (Igeo and IPOLL) are indicative of different pollution intensity in Shadegan aquatic environment. The low pollution intensity values computed by Igeomight be acceptable for metals that have low anthropogenic values (less than 15% of their total concentrations). But higher anthropogenic values (16 to almost 40% of total concentration) for other studied metals show that an IPOLL pollution intensity formula is more reliable. Moreover, bioaccessibility concentrations amount for Ni, V, Pb and Co had strong and positive meaningful relationship with Cu, Cr and Cd.

 

Key words: Heavy metals, accumulation, aquatic environment, IPOLL index, Shadegan wetland.