Assessment of Cd, Ca, Zn, Cr, Al concentrations in water, sediment and tissues of mangrove forest, Avicennia marina from Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf

899-906In this study, the heavy metals pollution in water, sediments and different tissues (root, stem and leaf) of mangrove forest, Avicennia marina, from Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf was investigated. Sampling was performed in 10 stations along the Qeshm Island and Khmir Port located in Hormozgan province. The average concentration of metals was measured using the ICP-AES. The average concentration of Cd, Ca, Zn, Cr, Al in water samples was: 0.015 µg.g-1, 66.4 µg.g-1, 0.014 µg.g-1, 0.01 µg.g-1and 62.15 µg.g-1, respectively.  The average concentration of Cd, Ca, Zn, Cr, Al in leaf of A. marina was: 0.11, 4954, 12, 1.07 and 721 µg/g; in stem tissues it was 0.07, 10.04, 1.16 and 648.54 µg/g, and in the root tissues it was 0.24, 18234, 14.4, 7.24 and 1982 µg/g, respectively. Also, the average concentration of metals (µg.g-1) in sediment samples was 1.04 for Cd, 48.18 for Zn, 79.61 for Cr and 27578 for Al. The decreasing trend of metals concentration in water, sediment and tissues of A. marina in all stations was observed as Ca > Al > Cd > Zn > Cr.   There were significant differences in metals concentration between tissues of A. marina (PA. marina which accumulates metals and transport them to leaves can be an appropriate biomarker for detection of heavy metals in marine coast areas

Citation analysis of the articles published in Scientific and Research Journal of Oceanography

Background and aim: The scientific journals are a valid method for communication of update information and a link among various fields of science through citation. The aim of this study was to investigate the citation of the articles of 28 issues published in Scientific and Research Journal of Oceanography (JOC). Material and methods: This study investigated the citation of 290 articles published in JOC through citation analysis during 2010-2016. The data were analyzed using Excel. Findings: Among 7512 citations of 290 published articles, the most citations belonged to journals (66.99%) and then to books (18.95%). Citation mean and authors' self-citation were 26.50 and 4.66% for each article, respectively. Collaborative contribution of men in published articles (73.96%) was more than that of women (26.05%). The most cited authors of Persian and English articles were Roshan Tabari and Ismail. The most cited Persian and English journals were "JOC" and "Aquaculture Nutrition", respectively. Collaboration degree of authors was 93.45% in JOC. Latin journals had the highest half-life with 13 years and 7 months. Conclusion: Although this journal has an acceptable pattern in terms of collaboration among authors and usage of Latin resources, the high half-life of the cited references, particularly Latin journals indicates that the officials of journal must take appropriate measures for usage of up-to-date references by authors

Nitrogen and metal pollution in the southern Caspian Sea: a multiple approach to bioassessment

The Caspian Sea hosts areas of high ecological value as well as industrial, leisure, and agricultural activities that dump into the water body different kinds of pollutants. In this complex context, a proper description of the origin and potential sources of pollution is necessary to address management and mitigation actions aimed at preserving the quality of the water resource and the integrity of the ecosystems. Here, we aimed at detecting sources of both nitrogen inputs, by N stable isotope analysis of macroalgae, and metals in macroalgae and sediments in two highly anthropized coastal stretches at the Iranian side of the Caspian Sea. Sampling was done near the mouth of rivers and canals draining agricultural and urbanized areas. In the westernmost waters, facing a port city, low macroalgal d15N signatures indicated industrial fertilizers as the principal source of pollution. By contrast, in the central coastal waters, facing touristic areas, the high macroalgal d15N indicated N inputs from wastewaters. Here the lowest dissolved oxygen concentrations in waters were associated with excess dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Metal concentrations varied largely in the study areas and were lower in macroalgae than in sediments. Localized peaks of Pb and Zn in sediments were observed in the central coastal sites as probable byproducts of mining activity transported downstream. By contrast, Cr and Ni concentrations were high in all sampling sites, thus potentially representing hazardous elements for marine biota. Overall, macroalgal d15N coupled with metal analysis in macroalgae and sediments was useful for identifying the main sources of pollution in these highly anthropized coastal areas. This double approach in comprehensive monitoring programs could thus effectively inform stakeholders on major environmental threats, allowing targeted management measures

Nitrogen and metal pollution in the southern Caspian Sea. A multiple approach to bioassessment

The Caspian Sea hosts areas of high ecological value as well as industrial, leisure, and agricultural activities that dump into the water body different kinds of pollutants. In this complex context, a proper description of the origin and potential sources of pollution is necessary to address management and mitigation actions aimed at preserving the quality of the water resource and the integrity of the ecosystems. Here, we aimed at detecting sources of both nitrogen inputs, by N stable isotope analysis of macroalgae, and metals in macroalgae and sediments in two highly anthropized coastal stretches at the Iranian side of the Caspian Sea. Sampling was done near the mouth of rivers and canals draining agricultural and urbanized areas. In the westernmost waters, facing a port city, low macroalgal δ15N signatures indicated industrial fertilizers as the principal source of pollution. By contrast, in the central coastal waters, facing touristic areas, the high macroalgal δ15N indicated N inputs from wastewaters. Here the lowest dissolved oxygen concentrations in waters were associated with excess dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Metal concentrations varied largely in the study areas and were lower in macroalgae than in sediments. Localized peaks of Pb and Zn in sediments were observed in the central coastal sites as probable byproducts of mining activity transported downstream. By contrast, Cr and Ni concentrations were high in all sampling sites, thus potentially representing hazardous elements for marine biota. Overall, macroalgal δ15N coupled with metal analysis in macroalgae and sediments was useful for identifying the main sources of pollution in these highly anthropized coastal areas. This double approach in comprehensive monitoring programs could thus effectively inform stakeholders on major environmental threats, allowing targeted management measures

Assessment of Trace Metals Accumulation in Water and Surface Sediments of Chabahar Bay, Makran

2230-2236    In this study the levels of trace metals in surface water and sediments, water physical characteristics (temperature, salinity and pH), water organic carbon (OC%), sediment organic matter (OM %) as well as sediment grain size distribution throughout the nine stations of Chabahar Bay were measured to assess as a consequence of natural and anthropogenic sources. The analyzed elements were arsenic (As), Barium (Ba), Iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), Potassium (K), lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), strontium (Sr), thallium (Tl) and uranium (U). The samplings were performed from 3.8 to 13.6 m depths of Tiss, Konarak, Desalination Plant, Entrance of Chabahar Bay, Posm and Ramin during April 2012 (Pre-Monson).     Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry inductively (ICP-MS) was used to detect element levels. Sediment samples were exposed to wet sieving and Laser Particle Sizing determination.     Tin, lithium, potassium magnesium and ironlevels were higher in the Konarakthan other stations. Duetothehighpercentage of clayin coastal parts of Konarak, transferring pollutionof desalination plants bywater flow canbe considereda threatin the future

Citation Analysis and Histographic depiction of Iranian Marine Science Outputs on Oman Sea and Persian Gulf

Background and aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the condition of Iranian marine scientific outputs related to Persian Gulf and Oman Sea in Web of Science (WoS) during 1992-2013. Material and methods: Totally, 396 scientific documents were recognized in WoS with the limitations of time and place in the current study. Citation analysis techniques and HistCite software were used to analyze and depict the historiographical map of scientific texts. Findings: Findings indicated that all 396 documents written by 1036 authors affiliated to 313 organizations were published in 199 journals with 6 different formats in English language. Most documents were published by Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences. In addition, the growth rate of annual outputs was %59 and the collaboration coefficient was 0/68 among Iranian researchers. Generally, 5 and 6 thematic clusters have been formed in historiographical map based on the TGCS and TLCS, respectively. Conclusions: The results showed that the rate of the growth of scientific outputs on the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea basins have increased from one title in 1993 to 80 titles in 2013. The effect of heavy metals on sediment and marine livings, coral reefs and identification of aquatic species are the most important subjects of historiographical map clusters

Concentrations of some trace metals in the tissues of two commercial fishes from Tonekabon

Abstract In this study, concentrations of mercury (Hg) and 16 other elements as well as methylmercury speciation were quantified in muscle and liver of two commercial fish species. It was also our intention to evaluate potential risks to human health associated with seafood consumption. The fish species, Mullet and Kutum (Caspian White fish) fishes, were obtained from Tonekabon at the Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea. In this investigation fish tissues (muscle and liver) were analyzed to determine Al, As, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Tl, V, Zn and methylmercury. Total mercury concentration in the fish muscles and liver ranged from 0.02 to 0.13 and from 0.03 to 0.06 μg g -1 w.w, respectively. Almost all the elements were more accumulated in the muscle of Mullet than Kutum fish, except for Hg, Pb and Ni. Concentrations of all elements in the muscle of both fishes were lower than the WHO maximum consumption limit in fish muscle. All elements were more accumulated in the fish liver than the muscle tissue, except for mercury in Kutum fish. This study identifies a statistical relationship between metal concentrations and fish sizes and also the relationship between element levels in the fish liver and muscle

Stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) and heavy metal levels in macroalgae, sediment, and benthos from the northern parts of Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman

In this investigation, δ13C and δ15N isotope ratios and heavy metal levels were assessed in macroalgae, sediment samples, and benthic species from northern parts of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The highest δ15N values in algal samples (11±0.42), indicative of anthropogenic organic N inputs, were detected in the Sadaf region, whereas the lowest values (3.17 ± 0.12), indicative of anthropogenic inorganic inputs, were detected in the Parvaz region. In addition to sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), contamination factors (CF), enrichment factors (EF), contamination degree (CD), pollution load index (PLI), geo accumulation index (Igeo), and potential ecological risk index (RI) were employed to assess the anthropogenic influence on sediment quality and to describe the sensitivity of the biota to toxic heavy metals. The obtained results demonstrate that the analyzed elements (Mn, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu, Co, and V) had no ecological risk in the sampling area