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Geochemistry and speciation of metals in sediments of the Maharlu Saline Lake, Shiraz, SW Iran

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Abstract

In this study, the total concentration and speciation of trace elements (As, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Ni), in sediments of the Maharlu saline Lake, SW Iran are investigated. Comparison with sediment quality guidelines, calculation of the enrichment factors, and trace metal profiles in the Khoshk River inflow point indicate that Maharlu Lake is in the threat of contamination, especially with respect to Ni and Cd. Sequential extraction analysis reveals that elemental speciation in this lake is strongly affected by oxidizing condition of the lake water. The studied elements (except Cr) are mainly associated with oxide phases, as a result of prevailing oxidizing conditions of the lake and also probably due to the source of elements. The ratio of metals in mobile fractions to sum of fractions in lake sediments is very low. However, metal ratios (except for Cr) in mobile fractions are much higher in surface sediments, indicating the impact of anthropogenic loading of trace metals in the recent years.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the research committee of Shiraz University for financially supporting this research. Thanks are extended to Shiraz office of Environmental Protection Organization of Iran for providing the logistics of the field work. The authors also wish to thank the Korea Science Foundation for helping with chemical analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

    Giti Forghani, Farid Moore & Afshin Qishlaqi

  2. Environmental Engineering Section, Division of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Buchon, 420-743, Korea

    Sanghoon Lee

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  1. Giti Forghani
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  2. Farid Moore
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  3. Sanghoon Lee
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  4. Afshin Qishlaqi
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Correspondence to Farid Moore.

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Forghani, G., Moore, F., Lee, S. et al. Geochemistry and speciation of metals in sediments of the Maharlu Saline Lake, Shiraz, SW Iran. Environ Earth Sci 59, 173–184 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0014-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0014-8

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