Temporal and spatial variation of total cyanide levels and using the pollution indices in Sediment of Shatt Al-Arab River and Marine environment of Iraq
Abstract
Fifteen stations were selected from surfaces sediment of Basra governorate in southern of Iraq . The samples were distributed among seven stations in Shatt Al-Arab river and eight stations in marine regions. All samples were collected from sediment surfaces at depth 10-15cm . Concentration of total cyanide in sediment was measured by using colorimetric method through complex formation with pyridine-barbituric acid at wavelength (578nm). The results for all the measurements showed the highest concentration of total cyanide in stations S1(61.583±4.31 µg/g) and S5 (71.627±1.95 µg/g) and lowest concentration at station S3 (13.559±1.83 µg/g) and S7 (16.711±1.90 µg/g) at spring season (2015and 2016) respectively, while the highest concentration of total cyanide in marine regions were recorded in station S15 (55.893±1.70 µg/g) . Standard deviation of all sites (n=3) for total cyanide of river and marine regions was calculated , it shows the range (1.837 - 6.092) , (1.702 - 3.125) respectively . The pollution indices such as geo accumulation index (I-geo) and pollution index (PI) were calculated for all selected stations .
