Environmental Assessment of Al-Hammar Marsh Sediments, Southern Iraq

Abstract

Concentrations and distribution of major, minor, and trace elements were
studied in thirteen sediment samples from Al-Hammar Marsh.
Multivariate statistical techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
and Agglomerative Hierarchal Cluster Analysis (AHCA) as well as pollution
analysis such as Enrichment Factor (EF) were used to process the data and identify
the possible sources of elemental constituents in sediment samples.Results of
chemical analysis revealed that Major element mean concentrations were in the
order of Ca> Si> K> Mg> and minor elements were in the order of Al> Fe>S>Cl>
Ti> P>Mn> Sr> N and trace elements were in the order of Cr> Ni> Zr>V>Zn>
Cu>Br> Co>Pb >Mo>As>U> Se> Cd.
Mainly increasing of Salinity in Marsh water and sediments led to increasing of Mg, S, Ca, Br, Cl concentrations in Al-Hammar Marsh Sediments.
Multivariate statistical techniques PCA and AHCA revealed that V, Zn, As, Se,
Mo, Pb, Co, Fe, Ni, and Cu were most probably derived from fertilizers and
petroleum extraction wastes in and near the study site. U (at StR1R) and Sr came from
fertilizers and for U might be from military weapon. Br, Cd, Cl, Ca, S, P and N
indicated anthropogenic source (fertilizers, animal waste, and domestic sewage).
While Mg, Cr, Mn were mainly associated with anthropogenic activities (fertilizers
and animal wastes). On the other hand Al, Si, Ti, K، and Zr were primarily of
natural sourcing from erosion of parent rocks. Enrichment Factor gave compatible
results with PCA and AHCA findings and revealed that Al-Hammar Marsh
sediments were highly contaminated by S, Mg, Cl, Ca, P, Br, Se, Mo, Ni, Co, Cu,
and Sr. and it were minimally contaminated by Zn, V, U, Cr (excluding SR3R), As, Fe,
Mn, and N.