Evaluation of Cd and Cr in Surface Sediments and Plants of Phragmites australis Anzali Wetland, Iran

Seyedeh Leila Hosseini1, Keivan Saeb and Sam Haieri Pur

Department of the Environment, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.

ABSTRACT: A high rate of population growth, development of different industrial sectors, and expansion of agricultural lands together is generating a large volume of different pollutants that discharged into aquatic ecosystems. Environmental pollution by different contaminants in aquatic ecosystems can be monitored through water, sediments, and aquatic life. In this study, total concentration of heavy metals (Cadmium and Chromium) in water, sediments and reed (Phragmites australis; dominant aquatic plant of Anzali Lagoon) were measured. Anzali Lagoon located in Iranian province of Gilan and the southwest of Caspian Sea. Also, the lagoon has been registered as an international wetland in the 1971 Ramsar Convention. The total area is less than 200 Km2 (193Km2) and located between N 37° 24' and E 49° 35'. In order to evaluate, range of heavy metals (Cd, Cr), 8 stations sampling were selected and at each station, 3 samples (Water, sediment, and plant) were collected. All of samples, after preparation were analyzed with ICP-OES. The metal concentrations for Cd and Cr found in sediments were higher than plants, whereas metal concentrations for all plant bodies were similar. However, considering quality guideline values by US and Canadian EPA, the level of metal concentrations in sediments and water samples were lower than threshold effects.

KEYWORDS: Wetland; Phragmites australis; Sediment; Cd; Cr

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