Heavy metal pollution status in surface sediments of the Khajeh Kory River, north Iran

This study aimed at exploring the extent of likely sources of heavy metal pollution in sediments of the Khajeh Kory riverbed in the north of Iran. In order to assess the heavy metal contamination, samples from surface sediments in 10 stations covering the river were collected and analysed to determine heavy metal contents including Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Mn, Co, Al, and Fe. Three guidelines were applied to assess the heavy metal contamination. Compared with the global average values, the calculated enrichment factors indicated high values for Fe, Mn, Cd, Co, and Cu, and very high values for Pb and Zn. The results obtained from principal component analysis revealed that the geogenic and anthropogenic sources were the main causes of the widespread enrichment of heavy metals in the riverbed sediments. The results suggested that the riverbed sediments were contaminated with heavy metals, which contribute to the freshwater toxicity in the ecosystem of the Khajeh Kory River.