Analyzing the Sediment Pollution by Heavy Metals in Zoshk-Abardeh Basin, Razavi Khorasan Province

Environmental pollution with heavy metals is one of the inevitable human and environmental issues and threats that human societies are facing. The present research has evaluated the pollution level of Zoshk-Abardeh catchment basin with 11 heavy elements (Arsenic, Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Molibden, Nickel, Lead, Vanadium and Aluminum). In this research, indicators such as enrichment factor, contamination factor, modified contamination degree, pollution load index, Geoaccumulation index and ecological risk index were used to measure pollution. The results of the calculation of the enrichment factor and contamination factor indicate that the studied elements have no enrichment or little enrichment in the region. According to the modified contamination degree, it can be said that all values ​​are below 1.5 and are in the category of no pollution to low pollution. The pollution load index also shows that the samples in the study area do not show any specific pollution. The results of the Geoaccumulation index indicate that all the studied elements in the study area have values ​​less than zero, which are in the non-polluted class. According to the coefficient of ecological risk potential, the basin has a low risk potential. The value of the ecological risk index was 87.13 that it can be said the ecological risk status of sediments in the studied area is low due to heavy elements. Considering that the study area is one of the target areas for tourism and human activities can increase the concentration of elements in sediments, protective and management planning should be done to control pollution.