title: Evaluation of potentially toxic metals pollution in the sediments of the Kor river, southwest Iran.
abstract: This study is carried out to evaluate potentially toxic metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) together with their spatial distribution, degree of pollution, and potential ecological risk in Kor river sediments (southwest Iran) using sediment quality guidelines, geoaccumulation index (I geo), Hakanson potential ecological risk index (RI), and standard methods of statistical analysis. The study area stretches some 140 km from the Drodzan Dam to Bakhtegan Lake, a stretch of river where different industrial and domestic activities (e.g., petrochemical complex, oil refinery, industrial meat processing complex, Marvdasht city sewage) and ecological value overlap with each other. Calculated geoaccumulation index indicate that 50 % of the stations are moderately to very extremely polluted. The potential ecological risk for nine investigated metals in Kor river is Hg (948) > Mo (51.9) > Ni (37.8) > Cd (29.8) > As (22) > Cu (16.6) > Pb (13.3) > Zn (3.3) > Cr (1). Results show that sediments in parts of Kor river sediments are heavily affected by effluents discharged from industrial plants and other parts are affected by agriculture and urban runoff from nearby lands. These phenomena may cause a risk of secondary water pollution under sediment disturbance and/or changes in the physical-chemical characteristics of the aquatic system.
authors: Department of Earth Sciences, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. vahideh_sheykhi@yahoo.com
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Sheykhi
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Moore
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004463:Ecology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis; D007492:Iran; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances; D008670:Metals; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical