Assessing the Quality of Surface Sediments in the Tajan River and Determining the Level of Ecological Pollution

Gharibreza, Mohammadreza; Masoumi, Hamidreza; Jafari Gorzin, Behnoush; Rahimzadeh, Hosein; Asgharipour Dashtbozorg, Nezam

doi:10.22034/jewe.2020.242445.1399

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Assist. Professor, Research Department of River and Shore Engineering, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

² Assist. Professor, Department of Geology, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran

³ Research Lecturer, Department of Watershed Management Research, Agricultural Research, Education and Natural Resources of Mazandaran Province, Sari, Iran

⁴ Research Expert, Department of Watershed Management Research, Agricultural Research, Education and Natural Resources of Mazandaran Province, Sari, Iran

⁵ Research Expert, Research Department of River and Shore Engineering, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/jewe.2020.242445.1399

Abstract

Rivers, as the living artery of the watershed, have caused its life and have long determined the extent and establishment of civilizations, especially in the coastal plains. The Tajan River in the coastal plain of Sari has been directly polluted by water and sediment resources as a result of industrialization, agricultural development, and towns, and villages. The aim of this study was to determine the quality of surface sediments of Tajan River in the city to sea range based on the concentration of toxic elements As, Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and to detect the level of pollution caused by them. The sampling strategy was designed to collect 25 surface sediment samples based on the distribution of point and non-point pollution sources and river morphology. Samples were conditioned and concentration of toxic elements and sulfur were measured using ICP-MS at dry weight with accuracy of mg/kg and percentage of total organic carbon. Using enrichment factor and sediment quality standards (ISQGs, PEL, SEL), the level of contamination caused by toxic elements was detected. The results well identified the polluted and clean ranges of the Tajan River. Accordingly, the southeast and downstream of the urban area of Sari were polluted by the toxic metal of As and upstream of the urban area, and adjacent to the effluent of industrial estates to the river were contaminated considerably by the toxic metal of chromium. Finally, superficial sediments of the Tajan River along the studied range were polluted significantly by the toxic metal of Ni at a risky level. Also, Pb enrichment was proven in the downstream sediments of the urban area due to fossil fuels. The research results emphasize the effect of urban-rural pollution (surface water drainage, construction waste and rubbish), industrial and agricultural effluents and sand mines on the pollution of water resources and sediment of Tajan River.

Keywords

Main Subjects

environment

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Environment and Water Engineering

Assessing the Quality of Surface Sediments in the Tajan River and Determining the Level of Ecological Pollution

References

References

Volume 6, Issue 4
December 2020
Pages 485-500

Assessing the Quality of Surface Sediments in the Tajan River and Determining the Level of Ecological Pollution

References

References

Volume 6, Issue 4December 2020Pages 485-500

Volume 6, Issue 4
December 2020
Pages 485-500