ORIGINAL RESEARCH
An Investigation of Sediment Pollution
in the Anzali Wetland
Maryam Zare Khosheghbal1, Amir H. Charkhabi2, Forood Sharifi2,
Fereydoun Ghazban3
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1Department of Mathematics and Science, Astara Branch, Islamic Azad University, Astara, Iran
2Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
3Faculties of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2013;22(1):283-288
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The heavy metals extent and anthropogenic pollution sources in the Anzali Wetland in the southern coast
of the Caspian Sea were the main focus of this research. The area of this study is 193 km2. This wetland has
ecological importance as it hosts migratory birds in the southwest Caspian Sea. The heavy metal pollution
study as well as some major element determination studies were carried out on the collected core sediment
samples from the wetland and the its related major river sediments. Concentrations of Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na,
Mn, P, and Ti, and trace elements such as Li, Ba, Sr, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, Bi, and S were
measured and analyzed using ICP-MS. Statistical analyses of cluster and principal component were carried
out on these geochemical data. The results showed that the Hendekhale and Shijan sections of the Wetland
were the most polluted, whereas the Siakishom section was the least polluted. The results also revealed As,
Cd, Cu, Co, Ni, and Mo elements in the Siakishom section and As, V, Pb, Cd, Co, Ni, Mo, Bi, Cr, and Zn in
the HendeKhaleh section and As, Cd, Bi, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the Shijan section have anthropogenic
pollution sources. However, V, Cr, and other selected elements had natural sources. Agricultural activities in
the related watersheds were hypothesized as significant contributors of the pollution in the sediments of main
parts of the wetland. For future studies, it is recommended to partition the collected sediment samples into
coarse, medium and fine particle sizes so that the sources of pollution would be more precisely determined.