TY - JOUR
T1 - Levels of heavy metals in subtidal sediments in the vicinity of thermal power/desalination plants
T2 - a case study
AU - Abdul-Wahab, S. A.
AU - Jupp, B. P.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors are also grateful to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA), with special thanks to Mohammed Al-Uraimi (Under-secretary for Environment) and Mohammed Al-Muharrami (Director General of Environmental Affairs) and Musallam Al-Jabri (former Head, MPCZM Section). Thanks go to Haitham Al-Akhzaimi, former Director, Ahmed Al-Mawali and staff, Heavy Metals Section, Food & Environment Monitoring Center, for analyses.
PY - 2009/8
Y1 - 2009/8
N2 - Sediments can accumulate various pollutants and are widely used for environmental monitoring of human impact. The central purpose of this study was to examine the levels of eight heavy metals in subtidal sediments in the vicinity of two thermal power/desalination plants in Oman: (1) the Barka power/desalination plant and (2) the Al-Ghubrah power/desalination plant. The samples of bottom sediment were collected with a grab sampler. The samples were analysed for cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). Sediment samples were collected at different stations. Some of these stations were located near the intake of the two plants, others were located at different distances and directions from the vicinity of the outfalls (outlets of the discharge). In addition to heavy metal analysis, other physical and chemical parameters measured simultaneously in the water include temperature, salinity, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen. The results indicated that the sediments were not polluted by heavy metals. The levels of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in sediment appear to be derived from the discharge whereas the levels of the other metals (Cr, Fe, Ni,V) appear to have a geochemical source.
AB - Sediments can accumulate various pollutants and are widely used for environmental monitoring of human impact. The central purpose of this study was to examine the levels of eight heavy metals in subtidal sediments in the vicinity of two thermal power/desalination plants in Oman: (1) the Barka power/desalination plant and (2) the Al-Ghubrah power/desalination plant. The samples of bottom sediment were collected with a grab sampler. The samples were analysed for cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). Sediment samples were collected at different stations. Some of these stations were located near the intake of the two plants, others were located at different distances and directions from the vicinity of the outfalls (outlets of the discharge). In addition to heavy metal analysis, other physical and chemical parameters measured simultaneously in the water include temperature, salinity, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen. The results indicated that the sediments were not polluted by heavy metals. The levels of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in sediment appear to be derived from the discharge whereas the levels of the other metals (Cr, Fe, Ni,V) appear to have a geochemical source.
KW - Discharge
KW - Heavy metals
KW - Oman
KW - Power/desalination plants
KW - Sediment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67249103447&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67249103447&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.desal.2008.06.007
DO - 10.1016/j.desal.2008.06.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:67249103447
SN - 0011-9164
VL - 244
SP - 261
EP - 282
JO - Desalination
JF - Desalination
IS - 1-3
ER -