[01] Mohammad Taheri, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resource, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran. [02] Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resource, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran. [03] Babak Naimi, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Berks, United Kingdom. [04] Mehdi Gholamalifard, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resource, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran. [05] Arash Ketabforoush Badri, Department of Economics, College of Management and Accounting, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.

Due to existing of oil pollution in Persian Gulf, Iranian mangrove forests have been exposed to a serious risk. This study used geostatistical approach and aimed to assess the risk by exploring the concentration and spatial distribution of two of the most toxic pollutants, lead and cadmium, in surface sediments of mangrove forests. 42 sediment samples were collected and results showed that the average concentrations of recruited metals are 1.89±0.07 µg/g dw and 0.17±0.01 µg/g dw, respectively. Spatial distribution pattern of both metals were followed from spatial variable, because the variance of sampling stations in terms of toxic metals concentrations was increased with increasing the distance. Depicted maps showed that the highest concentration of both metals has often focused in Khamir Port and eastern side of Middle part. Generated information by pollution risk maps can provide a useful tool for managers about pollution status of mangrove ecosystems.

Metals, Geostatistics, Risk Maps, Sediment, Mangrove

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