Investigation of Physicochemical Parameters and Heavy Metals in the Soil of Band-e AliKhan Wetland in Varamin and Environmental Impacts

Band-e AliKhan Wetland is located in 35 km south of Varamin in Tehran province as a freshwater seasonal wetland, which unfortunately has dried up in the last few years due to reduced precipitation. This Wetland is a habitat for the native bird’s breeding and migratory birds overwintering, and without it the lives of these birds will be compromised. This habitat has ecological, economic, social and environmental benefits. For many years, it has been the site for discharging the industrial wastewater upstream, including the Charmshahr Industrial Estate and at present, it is just the main entrance to this wetland. There are few studies on the impact of wastewater on the soil quality of wetland. In the present study, the topsoil of the north and the south of wetland to a depth of 15 cm were sampled and physicochemical parameters and some heavy metals were measured. The highest amount of chromium and zinc was observed in the northern part of the wetland.
In this study, based on the results, which indicates the alkalinity, the limestone intensity and the clay content of the wetland, it can be concluded that because the metals are active and transferable in acidic environments, these conditions make the stabilization of metals in the bed and immobility of them. Therefore, In the case of securing the water resources of wetland and also the prevention of industrial wastewater and agricultural drainage discharges, there is a great hope for the rapid restoration of the wetland and the return of Self-purification.