Sharifinia Moslem, Keshavarzifard Mehrzad, Hosseinkhezri Parisa, Khanjani Mohammad Hossein, Yap Chee Kong, Smith Walker O, Daliri Moslem, Haghshenas Arash
Shrimp Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bushehr 75169-89177, Iran.
Shrimp Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bushehr 75169-89177, Iran.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2022 May;178:113599. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113599. Epub 2022 Mar 30.
In recent decades the development of desalination plants (DPs) for desalination of seawater has increased dramatically, while little attention has been paid to the effects of this activity on the accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in the sediments of affected ecosystems. The present study was implemented to evaluate (1) heavy metal accumulation in sediments impacted by DPs discharges, (2) spatial and temporal changes of HMs and the contamination degree by different types of pollution indexes (single and integrated indices), and (3) ecological risk assessment of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in sediments affected by DPs discharges. A total of 288 sediment samples were collected seasonally at 24 stations from November 2019 to October 2020. Analysis of HMs concentrations in sediments near the desalination plant discharge provided evidence of local contamination. Maximum concentration of Cu and Pb elements were found in sediments near the desalination plant discharge point. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed clear segregation of stations impacted by desalination plant discharges and away from discharges. The values of PLI index in sediments of all sampling stations were < 1, indicating that there was no metal pollution by this index. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) ranged from 5.33 ± 0.51 to 11.81 ± 4.98 in sampling sediments and were classified as "low potential ecological risk". These results demonstrate that the DPs discharge increased HMs concentrations in the sediments in close proximity to outlets. The necessary and practical regulations and policies regarding the rejection of the DPs discharge and disposal of chemical compounds must be implemented and enforced.
近几十年来，用于海水淡化的海水淡化厂（DPs）发展迅速，而该活动对受影响生态系统沉积物中重金属（HMs）积累的影响却很少受到关注。本研究旨在评估：（1）受DPs排放影响的沉积物中的重金属积累；（2）HMs的时空变化以及不同类型污染指数（单一指数和综合指数）的污染程度；（3）受DPs排放影响的沉积物中镉（Cd）、铅（Pb）、锌（Zn）和铜（Cu）的生态风险评估。2019年11月至2020年10月，在24个站点季节性采集了288个沉积物样本。对海水淡化厂排放口附近沉积物中HMs浓度的分析提供了局部污染的证据。在海水淡化厂排放点附近的沉积物中发现了Cu和Pb元素的最高浓度。层次聚类分析显示，受海水淡化厂排放影响的站点和远离排放的站点有明显的分离。所有采样站沉积物的PLI指数值均<1，表明该指数没有金属污染。采样沉积物的潜在生态风险指数（PERI）范围为5.33±0.51至11.81±4.98，被归类为“低潜在生态风险”。这些结果表明，DPs排放增加了靠近排放口处沉积物中的HMs浓度。必须实施和执行关于拒绝DPs排放和处置化合物的必要且切实可行的法规和政策。
