Department of Environmental Sustainability, Environment Protection & Development Authority, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 14(01), 116–124
Received on 25 January 2022; revised on 01 March 2022; accepted on 03 March 2022
Purpose: Metal accumulation in sediments threatens adjacent ecosystems due to the potential of metal mobilization and the subsequent uptake into food webs. Dams produce important changes in flow regime and sediment deposition. When inundation starts with the building of dams, water surface area increases, flow rate decreases, and sediment carried by the valleys is deposited in the dams. However, there is a lack of research on the chemical properties of deposited sediment in dams.
Method: We aimed to fill this gap in the literature by providing valuable data on the particle size and heavy metal of sediment in different dams. Therefore, the aim of this study conducted within the Northern emirates of United Arab Emirates dams, to estimate heavy metal concentration of sediment, including particle size distribution. A total of eight sediment samples from each dams were collected and analyzed for heavy metals. The concentrations of Iron (Fe), Nickle (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), and Cobalt (Co) in sediment samples were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS).
Results: The concentrations of the heavy metals studied in the sediment samples were accumulated as Fe> Ni> Cr> Zn> Co> Pb> Cu. The concentrations of Ni and Cr have exceeded the threshold in the sediments of in line with W.H.O standards. Cadmium was not detected in soil, while other elements detected were in trace amount below the allowable limits in soil. The consideration of environmental factors is required to develop pollution managements and assess environmental risks for dam sediments.
Conclusion: The studies conducted provide background to a discussion on the extent of anthropogenic pressure on the natural environment in the Arabian Gulf, further underlining the relationship between retention of sediments in the dam and the increase in heavy metal contamination of bottom sediments and to the marine environment which effects possible to plankton productivity.
Dam reservoir; Deposited sediment; Particle size; Heavy metals
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Saif Mohamed Al Ghais and Sujatha Varadharajulu. Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Dam Sediments Effects on Plankton Productivities of the Arabian Gulf. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 14(1), 116-124. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2022.14.1.0194