Analytical Methods in Environmental Chemistry Journal
AMECJ

Analysis and evaluation of toxic heavy metals in sediments of seabed cores using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Muhand K.T. AL-Tememi 1
Ahmed Hammood 1
Zuhair A. Abdulnabi 1
Ahmed Abdalhadi Majed** 2, 3

1 Marine Science Center, University of Basrah, zip code is 61004, Basrah, Iraq

2 College of Education for Pure Science, University of Basrah, Iraq

3 Scientific Research Center, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, Iraq eristy of Basrah

https://doi.org/10.24200/amecj.v8.i03.1047
Abstract
Soil sediments were studied in three areas in the northern Gulf within Iraqi territorial waters, where sediments were collected to cover all depths from 0 to 40 meters below the sea floor. The concentrations of the elements lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and vanadium (V) were measured using the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and arsenic (As) was determined by the graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS) (%RSD < 5). The detection limits of Pb, As, Cd, Ni, Cr, and V were obtained at 0.511, 0.554, 0.525, 0.528, 0.501, and 1.221 µg L-1, respectively. The Geoaccumulation Index (I-geo) compares the concentration of heavy metals in six classes in a sediment sample to its background value. The results were compared using I-geo calculations, which indicated high levels of contamination for arsenic and cadmium, with I-geo values ranging from 2.5 to 6.7 for arsenic, with moderately to significantly contaminated (Class 3 and 6), and from 2.4 to 3.9 for cadmium, with moderately to heavily contaminated (Class 3 and 4). There were lower contamination rates for nickel, as the I-geo values ranged from 0.23 to 2.09, while the concentrations of lead, chromium, and vanadium remained within safe levels. So, no dangerous concentrations for Pb, Ni, Cr, and V were found in any areas or depths from 0 to 40 meters below the seafloor.

Graphical Abstract

Analysis and evaluation of toxic heavy metals in sediments of seabed cores using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy

Keywords

Heavy metals
Analysis of sediments
Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy
Seabed
Geoaccumulation Index
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Analytical Methods in Environmental Chemistry Journal
Volume 8, Issue 3
AMEC Publisher
Summer 2025
Pages 119-132