Document Type : Case Study
Authors
Department of Civil Engineering, Technical and Engineering Faculty, University of Bojnord , Iran
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of treated wastewater discharge from the Bojnord City treatment plant on the transport of potential pollutants and the effective distance of pollutant migration. Sampling from aquatic and sediment environments was conducted at five and one selected stations, respectively, during the summer of 2023. The Contamination Degree (Cd) for all stations, except Station 2 (located downstream of the effluent discharge point), fell within the moderate pollution range. Results from the Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI) and Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) revealed that the highest pollution levels were associated with Station 2, situated downstream of the wastewater discharge. The Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo) for all metals yielded values below zero, indicating no significant pollution. The Contamination Factor (Cf) for all heavy metals, except cadmium, fell within the low pollution range. However, the Cf value for cadmium suggested moderate sediment pollution. The calculated Hazard Index (HI) for minors was approximately 0.5, signifying non-carcinogenic risks. Health risk indices demonstrated that children are more vulnerable to heavy metal exposure than adults. All measured indices for the aquatic environment were classified as polluted. This study underscores the critical need for systematic management and monitoring of river water quality in urban and agricultural zones. Based on the hydraulic conditions and temporal scope of this research, it may be hypothesized that the river can transport pollutants derived from urban wastewater discharge over a distance of 50 to 100 meters.
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