Preliminary assessment of heavy metals contamination in water and wastewater of Asaluyeh port (Persian Gulf)

The impacts of pollutants on the marine environment of the Persian Gulf may be significant due to its shallow depth, limited circulation, high salinity, and temperature. Discharge of industrial and urban effluents, shipping, oil spills, and recent wars in the Persian Gulf are of the major causes of its pollution. In this study, the total concentration of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, and Zn in water and wastewater samples of the Asaluyeh port, located on the northern edge of the Persian Gulf, are investigated. The results demonstrated that the concentration of As, Cu, Mo, Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in water samples exceeds the world sea water average. In addition, the maximum-observed concentrations of heavy metals occur in water and wastewater samples in the Basatin coast, Nakhle Taghi dock, Shirino industrial complex, and fifth refinery reject water. Significant differences in concentrations of Cu and Zn could be found among the sampling sites. The mean concentration of Ni, Pb, and Cd in the water samples was relatively higher than those in some other regions of the Persian Gulf. The statistical results obtained from Mann–Whitney along with factor analysis support the results.