Cd and Pb Concentrations in the Surface Sediments of the Asaluyeh Bay, Iran

Introduction: Heavy metals widely used in the industrial and refining activities are frequently detected in sediments. The main objectives of this research were focused on determining the concentration of Cd and Pb in the sediments of Asaluyeh and compare with the standard. Methods: The concentration of Pb and Cd in the sediments of Nayband Bay area (contaminated area) and Lavar-e Saheli (control area) were measured. In the summer of 2013, the samples of sediment were collected from 40 stations. The samples were digested using the method Yap 2002 and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: The median concentration of Pb and Cd in the sediments collected from Nayband ranged from 3.56 to 5.25 μg/gdw and 1.16 to 1.44 μg/gdw, respectively. The concentrations of Pb and Cd in most of the sediment samples in the study area were higher than the Persian Gulf standards. Conclusion: Therefore, it is essential to use abatement efforts to clean-up the polluted areas in the coastal area of the Asaluyeh Bay and prevent the discharging of the untreated or partially treated wastewater to the Persian Gulf as well.