Mahboubeh Nozari, Abbas Esmaili-Sari, Alireza Riyahi-Bakhtiyari, Jaber Aazami,
Volume 5, Issue 14 (10-2011)
Abstract
Background: Mercury (Hg) is a major environmental contaminant due to its global ubiquity, tendency to bioaccumulate, and toxicity in wildlife. Mercury accumulation in wetlands threatens critical breeding and foraging habitats of many fish and wildlife species. In this study, mercury concentrations were detected in different tissues of pike.
Methods: To achieve these purposes, 58 pikes (Esox lucius) were hunted from Anzali wetland. Mercury concentration was analyzed by Advanced Mercury Analyzer (Leco, AMA 254). T-test was used to determine any significant differences between muscle and liver samples.
Results: The results revealed a significant difference (t = 0.85) in mercury concentrations between the tissues, whereas no significant differences were found in mercury concentrations between pikes of different sexes.
Conclusion: This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility assessment to recognize bioindicatory index usage and to determine restricted standards to human consumption. Our data can contribute to the development of management programs for understanding the ecotoxicological status of Anzali wetland and can help determine restricted standards for human consumption.
Mohammad Reza Vesali Naseh, Abdolreza Karbassi, Fereydoon Ghazaban, Akbar Baghvand,
Volume 5, Issue 15 (1-2012)
Abstract
Background: Evaluation of heavy metals as toxic pollutants in environment has a significant importance in environmental pollution studies. surficial sediments of water resources have a high potential in releasing heavy metals to the upper water environment, hence sediment analysis presents guidelines to the authorities for monitoring the environmental systems.
Methods: In this study, total and fractional concentration of eight heavy metals (V, Ni, Cr, Cd, Zn, As, Fe, and Pb) were investigated along different sites of Anzali Wetland in Iran using bulk elemental analysis and sequential chemical extraction techniques respectively. Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and Pollution Index (Ipoll) were computed and compared in different sites of the wetland, too.
Results: Total concentration of metals in sediment samples found to be in this order: Fe>As>Cr>Zn>Ni>V>Pb>Cd. The speciation data revealed that most metals were bonded in lithogenous fractions that means no pollution. Igeo results indicated that the wetland is moderately to highly polluted for Cd and As and Ipoll results showed that the wetland is moderately polluted for Pb and Cd were applied to metals also to investigate on Igeo and Ipoll results. For V, Ni, Cr, Zn and Fe, cluster analysis confirmed both indices but for As and Pb it confirmed Igeo results.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the Anzali wetland is threatened by pollutants related to rivers entering it. So to preserve the environment of the Anzali wetland from deterioration, the main act is to prevent the discharge of wastewater to rivers entering it.
