Department of Range and Watershed Management, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Darab, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Oct;28(37):51369-51383. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-13763-3. Epub 2021 May 13.
The present study attempts to assess the threat of water contamination in Persian Gulf by heavy metals (Fe, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Se, and Ni) and its subsequent effects on five fish species including Scomberomorus guttatus (S. guttatus), Lethrinus nebulosus (L. nebulosus), Brachirus orientalis (B. orientalis), Pomadasys kaakan (P. kaakan), and Scomberomorus commerson (S. commerson). Water and fish samples from fourteen monitoring stations were obtained to determine the concentrations of contaminants in water and fish. Heavy metal pollution index (HMPI) and non-carcinogenic hazard quotient (NHQI) were employed to evaluate contamination level in water and fish muscle. The Kriging geostatistical method was employed to determine the spatial distribution of different heavy metals around petrochemical plants. The highest NHQI values for P. kaakan and B. orientalis species were 1.036 and 1.046, respectively. In both cases, the NHQI values were higher than the maximum allowable value of 1, indicating that both fish species were on the verge of contamination by heavy metals, which in turn makes the consumption of these fish highly hazardous to human health. The lowest NHQI value was observed in S. commerson species at a value of 0.394, indicating its harmlessness to human health. Overall, fish species living within the top 5 m of the water column (S. commerson and S. guttatus) were found to be less contaminated by heavy metals compared to species dwelling near the seafloor (P. kaakan and B. orientalis). Results also indicated the pollution absorption rate in S. commerson and S. guttatus were 0.45 and 3.4 mg/kg-year, while the corresponding values for the B. orientalis and L. nebulosus species were 6 and 2 mg/kg-year, respectively. P. kaakan species showed a pollution absorption rate of 3.2 mg/kg-year. High heavy metal concentrations of 4.8, 10, 9.8, 5.2, 9.4, and 6.7 mg/L were obtained for Cr, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Cu, and Cd, respectively, in water samples obtained from stations nearby petrochemical plants. The HMPI index for the most contaminated stations was ten times that of the maximum allowable limit. Given the intense activity of oil, gas, and petrochemical plants in the Persian Gulf, defining safe fishing areas by management practices similar to contamination zoning maps presented in this study can substantially protect the public health from heavy metal contamination.
本研究试图评估重金属（Fe、Cr、Pb、Cu、Zn、Cd、Se 和 Ni）对波斯湾水环境污染的威胁，以及其对包括鲐鱼（Scomberomorus guttatus）、波纹唇鱼（Lethrinus nebulosus）、东方拟沙丁鱼（Brachirus orientalis）、高体革鯻（Pomadasys kaakan）和竹荚鱼（Scomberomorus commerson）在内的五种鱼类的后续影响。从 14 个监测站采集了水和鱼类样本，以确定水中和鱼体内污染物的浓度。采用重金属污染指数（HMPI）和非致癌危害商（NHQI）评估水和鱼肌肉中的污染水平。采用克里金地质统计方法确定了石化厂周围不同重金属的空间分布。P. kaakan 和 B. orientalis 物种的最高 NHQI 值分别为 1.036 和 1.046。在这两种情况下，NHQI 值均高于 1 的最大允许值，表明这两种鱼类都处于重金属污染的边缘，这反过来又使这些鱼类的食用对人类健康构成高度危害。S. commerson 物种的最低 NHQI 值为 0.394，表明其对人类健康无害。总体而言，与栖息在海底的物种（P. kaakan 和 B. orientalis）相比，生活在水柱顶层 5 米内的鱼类（S. commerson 和 S. guttatus）受到的重金属污染程度较低。结果还表明，S. commerson 和 S. guttatus 的污染吸收率分别为 0.45 和 3.4 mg/kg-年，而 B. orientalis 和 L. nebulosus 物种的相应值分别为 6 和 2 mg/kg-年。P. kaakan 物种的污染吸收率为 3.2 mg/kg-年。在石化厂附近的监测站获得的水样中，Cr、Zn、Pb、Ni、Fe、Cu 和 Cd 的浓度分别为 4.8、10、9.8、5.2、9.4 和 6.7 mg/L。污染最严重的监测站的 HMPI 指数是最大允许限值的十倍。鉴于波斯湾石油、天然气和石化厂的高度活跃性，通过类似本研究中提出的污染分区图的管理措施来确定安全的捕鱼区，可以大大保护公众免受重金属污染。
