Spatial variability and ecological risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in southeastern Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Master of Science, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran

Abstract

Assessing heavy metal risk in various regions is essential for protecting public health and preserving environmental quality and sustainable development. This study focused on the heavy metal (HMs) contents of seven major metals, including lead (Pb), zinc(Zn), cadmium(Cd), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), arsenic (As), and copper (Cu), in Jiroft city, southeastern Iran, regarding its spatial distribution and contamination levels. The Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid method was applied for the determination of heavy metals concentrations after the collection of surface soil samples. Inverse distance weighting was performed for mapping the spatial distribution. Potential ecological risk index and principal component analysis were carried out to identify the risk level and the primary source of heavy metals, respectively. Mean concentrations of all these heavy metals (HMs) were higher compared to their mean crustal values. Zinc and manganese were considered the major pollutants due to high enrichment factor and pollution index. More than 45% of the soil samples presented noticeable ecological risk according to the calculated PERI values, which ranged between 80 and 160. The highest value corresponded to cadmium (Ei = 103.9). Principal component analysis suggested that anthropogenic and natural factors were responsible for heavy metal accumulation in soil. These results show the urgent need for an intervention targeted at soil pollution to protect the environment and public health in Jiroft city.

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Main Subjects

References

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Environmental Resources Research
Volume 13, Issue 1
July 2025
Pages 61-81

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