Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessing heavy metals, agricultural pesticides and petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediment cores of Anzali Wetland

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Efficient investigation of sediment core samples is crucial for understanding the extent and sources of pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Accordingly, Anzali Wetland, located southwest of the Caspian Sea, is one of the most important and unique ecosystems in Iran. This paper evaluated the accumulation of metals, agricultural pesticides, and petroleum hydrocarbons in the core sample of sediment in the central area of Anzali Wetland. For this purpose, 180 cm core sediment was extracted. Then, accurate concentrations of metals, agricultural pesticides, and petroleum hydrocarbons were determined utilizing two general digestion and four-step chemical separation method, Gas Chromatography and Spectrofluorophotometer. Using cluster analysis, obtained data were analyzed and then discussed according to the standard indices, including the enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), index of pollution (Ipoll), and Risk Assessment (RI). The results indicated that the sediment of this wetland has low to moderate pollution. However, the amounts of cadmium and mercury as toxic metals were high in some parts of the sediment, indicating that the impact of anthropogenic pollution was significant. The sedimentation rate was 6.7 mm per year, and Darzban (chlorpyrifos) was more than other agricultural toxins. Moreover, oil pollution was not detected in Central Anzali Wetland, while hydrocarbon pollution caused by vascular plants and the entry of vegetable oils into municipal wastewater was detected. The highest agricultural pesticide was 74 mg/kg. Besides, 14% increase was observed in the amount of organic matter which was attributed to the inflow of wastewater and the growth of Azolla.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aghababai Beni A, Adel SSM, ZaeimdarGhadiHassaniJalalvandiAsaad Abdollahi MAVKS (2023) Petroleum wastewater treatment. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109853

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ALabdeh Omidvar Karbassi Sarang DBAA (2020b) Study of speciation and spatial variation of pollutants in Anzali Wetland (Iran) using linear regression, kriging and multivariate analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27:16827–16840

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ALabdeh D, Omidvar B, Karbassi A, Sarang A (2020) Study of speciation and spatial variation of pollutants in Anzali Wetland (Iran) using linear regression, Kriging and multivariate analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res, 1–14

  • Azimi-Yancheshmeh R, Riyahi-Bakhtiari A, Savabieasfahani M (2017) Oil contamination in surface sediment of Anzali Wetland in Iran is primarily even carbon number n-alkanes. Environ Monit Assess 189(11):589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Behrooz RD, Sari AE, Bahramifar N, Ghasempouri SM (2009) Organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in human milk from the Southern Coast of Caspian Sea. Iran Chem 74(7):931–937

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boehm PD, Requejo AG (1986) Overview of the recent sediment hydrocarbon geochemistry of Atlantic and Gulf Coast outer continental shelf environments. Estuarine, Coast Shelf Sci 23(1):29–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Bouraie MM, El-Barbary AA, Yehia MM, Motawea EA (2010) Heavy metal concentrations in surface river water and bed sediments at Nile Delta in Egypt. Suo 61(1):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Esmaeilzadeh M, Karbassi A, Moattar F (2016) Assessment of metal pollution in the Anzali Wetland sediments using chemical partitioning method and pollution indices. Acta Oceanol Sin 35(10):28–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghanbari F, Moattar F, Monavari SM, Arjmandi R (2017) Human health risk assessment of organophosphorus pesticide in rice crop from selected districts of Anzali international wetland basin. Iran Hum Exp Toxicol 36(5):438–444

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin EJ (2017) Convention on wetlands of international importance, especially as waterfowl habitat 1971 (Ramsar). Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, Cheltenham, pp 101–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakanson L (1980) An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control a sedimentological approach. Water Res 14(8):975–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He Y, Men B, Yang X, Li Y, Xu H, Wang D (2019) Relationship between heavy metals and dissolved organic matter released from sediment by bioturbation/bioirrigation. J Environ Sci 75:216–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Isangedighi IA, David GS (2019) Heavy metals contamination in fish: effects on human health. J Aquat Sci Mar Biol 2(4):7–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jafari N (2009) Ecological integrity of wetland, their functions and sustainable use. J Ecol Nat Environ 1(3):045–054

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamshidi S, Bastami KD (2016) Metal contamination and its ecological risk assessment in the surface sediments of Anzali wetland. Casp Sea Mar Pollut Bull 113(1–2):559–565

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karbassi AR, Monavari SM, Bidhendi GRN, Nouri J, Nematpour K (2008) Metal pollution assessment of sediment and water in the Shur River. Environ Monit Assess 147(1):107–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Masindi V, Muedi KL (2018) Environmental contamination by heavy metals. Heavy Metals 10:115–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Medeiros PM, Bicego MC (2004) Investigation of natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbon inputs in sediments using geochemical markers. I. Santos. SP-Brazil Mar Pollut Bull 49:761–769

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadi S, Karbassi A, Golzary A (2020) The rate of changes in agricultural pesticides and tphs in a sediment core from the eastern part of Anzali International Wetland, Iran. In: AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, 2020: B052–0011

  • Morillo J, Usero J, Gracia I (2002) Partitioning of metals in sediments from the Odiel River (Spain). Environ Int 28(4):263–271

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Müller G (1979) Schwermetalle in den sedimenten des RheinseVeranderungen seitt 1971. Umschau 79:778–783

    Google Scholar 

  • Nodeh ZP, Beni AA, Moghadam AJ (2023) Development of evaporation technique for concentrating lead acid wastewater from the battery recycling plant, by nanocomposite ceramic substrates and solar/wind energy. J Environ Manage 328:116980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palizi S, Toufigh V (2023) Fire-induced damage assessment of cementless alkali-activated slag-based concrete. Constr Build Mater 393:132002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramesh R, Subramanian V, Van Grieken R (1990) Heavy metal distribution in sediments of Krishna river basin. India Environmental Geology and Water Sciences 15(3):207–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roine A (2002) Outokumpu HSC chemistry for windows: chemical reaction and equilibrium software with extensive thermochemical database. Pori: Outokumpu research OY, 448

  • Selvaraj K, Mohan VR, Szefer P (2004) Evaluation of metal contamination in coastal sediments of the Bay of Bengal, India: geochemical and statistical approaches. Mar Pollut Bull 49(3):174–185

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shah SB (2021) Heavy metals in the marine environment—an overview. Heavy Met Scleractinian Corals, 1–26.

  • Shirneshan G, Bakhtiari AR, Memariani M (2016) Distribution and origins of n-alkanes, hopanes, and steranes in rivers and marine sediments from Southwest Caspian coast, Iran: implications for identifying petroleum hydrocarbon inputs. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23(17):17484–17495

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suresh G, Ramasamy V, Meenakshisundaram V, Venkatachalapathy R, Ponnusamy V (2011) Influence of mineralogical and heavy metal composition on natural radionuclide concentrations in the river sediments. Appl Radiat Isot 69(10):1466–1474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tolosa I, Mesa-Albernas M, Alonso-Hernandez CM (2009) Inputs and sources of hydrocarbons in sediments from Cienfuegos bay, Cuba. Marine Pollut Bull 58(11):1624–1634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toufigh V, Palizi S (2022) Performance evaluation of slag-based concrete at elevated temperatures by a novel machine learning approach. Constr Build Mater 358:129357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varnosfaderany MN, Bakhtiari AR, Gu Z, Chu G (2015) Distribution and characteristic of PAHs in sediments from the southwest caspian sea, Guilan Province. Iran Water Sci Technol 71(11):1587–1596

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vesali NMR, Karbassi A, Ghazaban F, Baghvand A (2012) Evaluation of heavy metal pollution in Anzali wetland, Guilan, Iran

  • Wang Y, Yang Z, Shen Z, Tang Z, Niu J, Gao F (2011) Assessment of heavy metals in sediments from a typical catchment of the Yangtze River. Chin Environ Monit Assess 172(1–4):407–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Chen F, Zhang L, Liu J, Wu S, Kang M (2012) Comprehensive assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediment of the pearl river estuary and adjacent shelf. Mar Pollut Bull 64(9):1947–1955

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang F, Gato-Trinidad S, Hossain I (2022) New insights into the pollutant composition of stormwater treating wetlands. Sci Total Environ 827:154229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    M. R. Mohammadi & A. R. Karbassi

  2. Department of Structural and Engineering Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    E. Mousavi

  3. Department of Structural and Engineering Geology, College of Science, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran

    M. Ashtari

Authors
  1. M. R. Mohammadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. R. Karbassi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Mousavi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Ashtari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. R. Mohammadi.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Editorial responsibility: Samareh Mirkia.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mohammadi, M.R., Karbassi, A.R., Mousavi, E. et al. Assessing heavy metals, agricultural pesticides and petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediment cores of Anzali Wetland. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05511-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05511-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation