10.57647/j.ijes.2024.1604.24

Evaluation of heavy metals contamination in sediments and hydrogeochemical characteristics of water in Mashalak River, North Iran

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  • Mahboubeh Radmehr1,
  • Ali Moghimi Kandelous*1,
  • Mozhgan Salavati1,
  • Saeid Hakimi Asiabar1,
  1. Department of Geology, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran
Evaluation of heavy metals contamination in sediments and hydrogeochemical characteristics of water in Mashalak River, North Iran

Received: 2023-11-11

Revised: 2023-12-19

Accepted: 2024-01-16

Published 2024-11-04

Copyright (c) 2024 Mahboubeh Radmehr, Ali Moghimi Kandelous, Mozhgan Salavati, Saeid Hakimi Asiabar (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Radmehr, M., Moghimi Kandelous, A., Salavati, M., & Hakimi Asiabar, S. (2024). Evaluation of heavy metals contamination in sediments and hydrogeochemical characteristics of water in Mashalak River, North Iran. Iranian Journal of Earth Sciences, 16(4), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.57647/j.ijes.2024.1604.24
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Abstract

The present study was conducted aimed to determine the concentration of heavy metals for
environmental assessment of water and surface sediment samples taken from the Mashalak River
in northern Iran. Sediment and water samples were analyzed by ICP-MS and the concentration of
conventional cations and anions was also measured. Results showed that V, Cr, Zn, Ni, Cu, Pb,
Co, and Mo had the highest concentration of heavy metals. The geo-accumulation index indicated
low-moderate pollution and the ecological risk assessment showed low ecological risk in the study
area. There was a positive and significant relationship between metals, indicating a common origin
and similar geochemical behavior. The results of the hydrogeochemical assessment showed that
the water of the Mashalak River is in the inappropriate quality range only in terms of residual
sodium carbonate (RSC). At the stations near the wastewater, the concentration of As and Cr is
high, and the water of these stations is not suitable for drinking. The changes in the pattern of
heavy metals along the river showed an increase in these pollutants next to the wastewater station.
Based on the classification of drinking water by metal concentration and pH, the water of Mashalak
River is in the class of near neutral at a low concentration, which is not an environmental concern.

Keywords

  • Pollution,
  • Heavy metals,
  • Hydrogeochemical assessment,
  • Mashalak river;,
  • Iran
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