Statistical studies and investigation of environmental contamination of arsenic in stream sediments of Zaylik area, southeast of Ahar

Subject Areas : The Application of Chemistry in Environment

Abolfazl Hasanzadeh Koulani ¹ , Somayeh Baharlouei Yancheshmeh ²

1 - M.Sc, Dept. of Mining Engineering, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geology, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran

Received: 2023-01-23 Accepted : 2023-01-28 Published : 2022-11-22

Keywords: Stream sediments, environmental contamination, Statistical studies, Zaylik area,

Abstract :

AbstractAccording to the statistical studies that were carried out in the Zylik mineralization zone, most of the samples collected from stream sediments show the concentration of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) higher than their Clarke concentration (Clarke number or clarke is the relative abundance of a chemical element, typically in Earth's crust). Also, according to the United States environmental protection agency (U.S. EPA) report, these values are higher than its standard for residential and industrial areas. According to the geochemical distribution map of these elements, the highest concentration of arsenic (As) is in the north and northeast and antimony (Sb) is in the north, south and east of the study area. It seems that this enrichment corresponds to the streams passing through the siliceous veins and caps in the north of the region. Therefore, this area can be the source of environmental contamination, which affects the ecosystem as a result.