Health And Ecological Risk Assessment Of Selected Organic Pollutants In Marine Ecosystem Of Hormozgan Province, South Of Iran
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Date
2014-01
Authors
Mohebbi Nozar, Seyedeh Laili
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate selected chemicals in the marine ecosystems of Hormozgan Province in Southern Iran. The chemicals of interest were polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloro ethane (DDTs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). To assess the human health risk, 18 species of commercial biota were purchased from fish markets of Hormozgan Province from October 2010 to May 2011. To determine the ecological risk, distribution pattern, and sources of these pollutants in the coastline and mangrove ecosystems, sediment samples were collected from stations within 500, 1000, and 1500 m away from the shoreline in dry and wet seasons. The screening values for carcinogenic effects of PAHs, PCBs and DDTs in fish from Hormozgan Province were 1.82, 13.25 and 1.29 ng/g wet weight, respectively. The comparison of BaP equivalent and total concentration of 209 PCB congeners with calculated screening values referred to presence of health risk from PAHs and PCBs through fish consumption for Hormozgan Province people. However, the amount of TPHs in biota and sediment of Hormozgan Province was below the hazardous levels. Statistical tests showed that distribution of pollutants in sediments was mostly independent of the sampling season. Hormozgan Province sediments contained total petroleum hydrocarbons with an average of 0.4 μg/g d.w, while average concentrations of ΣPAHs in sediments from mangrove and coastline were detected at 141.04 ± 182.20 and 126.7 ± 150.4 ng/g d.w, respectively. PAHs from pyrogenic
source were detected in the mangrove sediments, whereas the contributions of petrogenic and pyrogenic sources were equal in the coastal sediments. ΣPCBs showed a wide range of 0.6 to 608 ng/g d.w in sediments from mangroves and coastal areas of Hormozgan Province. CB 153 was the major congener of PCBs in the collected sediments, which could be related to the widespread use of commercial PCBs (Clophen A60) in Iran in the past. ΣDDTs were detected at ND to 45.88 ng/g d.w in mangroves and coastline sediments. The isomeric ratios for DDT and its isomers indicated the recent input of DDT into the marine ecosystem of Hormozgan Province, which may be related to the shipping, health-related or agricultural applications of DDT in Hormozgan Province or its neighboring areas. However, the detected average concentrations of studied pollutants in sediments did not exceed the quality guidelines but, the comparison with reference sites and international standards showed high potential of ecological risk due to the presence of „hot spots‟ such as sites facing to Qeshm zinc smelting plant, Bandar Abbas power plant and Shahid Bahonar port. The detected health risk in fish from Hormozgan Province confirmed the urgent need to implement risk management, particularly in this area, and in Iran in general.
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Keywords
Marine ecosystem , Southern Iran