Investigation of Environmental Pollution source on Chabahar Bay using Surfacial Sediment study

Abstract :

Bay of Chabahar is considered as largest bay in coast line of OmanSea. It has length of 17km, width of 20km and maximum depth of 20m at its mouth. Transit ports of Chabahar and Konarak in its Eastern and Western sides respectively are also the largest Iranian ports of OmanSea. We gathered 154 sediment samples using Hydro-Bios grab sampler from bed of bay of Chabahar to study its sedimentary conditions. These samples were analyzed in both sedimentology and Element Analysis laboratories of Geological Survey of Iran to investigate for Granolometry and ICP analysis.Various types of bed sediments were identified using sedimentology studies. Moreover, concentration of oxides and elements including SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, MnO, TiO2, B, Bi, As, Sr, Cr, Cu, Ni, Ba, and W in various types of sediments were determined separately.

The result of geochemical studies of sediments and Putting together them with element distribution maps of bay show high concentration of some heavy elements like Cr, Sr, W, Zn, Bi, As and Cu in the margin of Shahid Beheshty and Shahid Kalantari jetties in the most Southeastern part as well as margin of Navy Base jetty in the most Southwestern part. This confirms the human activities as a main origin for the pollution.