title: Fractionation of heavy metals in sediments and assessment of their availability risk: A case study in the northwestern of Persian Gulf.
abstract: Sequential extraction procedure was applied to determine the chemical forms of heavy metals in sediments in order to assess their mobility and availability in the aquatic environment. The mean concentrations of Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in exchangeable and carbonate fractions were 14.9, 30.9, 17, 0.37, 4.4 and 14.4mg/kg, respectively. Based on the sediments quality guidelines (SQGs), the adverse biological effects caused by Ni, can occur frequently across the study area. Risk assessment code (RAC) suggested that the Cd has the highest level of environmental risk compared with other studied metals. Modified risk assessment code (mRAC) demonstrated a high potential adverse effect in the many of sampling sites. According to the fractionation results, the concentration of Ni in exchangeable and carbonate fractions was very considerable and more than other metals, hence, the potential risk of nickel release can be much more than other investigated metals.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6135, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: ahpejman@ut.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Amirhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pejman
authors.affiliation: Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6135, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nabi Bidhendi
authors.affiliation: Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6135, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ardestani
authors.affiliation: Environmental Research Laboratory, Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16765-163, Narmak, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saeedi
authors.affiliation: Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6135, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baghvand
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D019156:Indian Ocean; D007492:Iran; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012995:Solubility; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D009532:Nickel
keywords: Availability; Fractionation; Heavy metals; Mobility; Sediment