Hamid Reza Sharifan, Ali Davari:
Bioaccumulation and Distribution of Heavy Metals in Gray Mangrove (Avicennia marina): Case Study of the Tropical Areas of Persian Gulf

HAMID REZA SHARIFAN¹, ALI DAVARI^2
1University of Cologne, Botanical Institute, Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Germany
²University of Tehran, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, Iran

This paper presents the first research on bioaccumulation and distribution of heavy metals in three cohort of Mangrove species (Avecinnia marina) in tropical area along the Persian Gulf in Qeshm Island of Iran. Mangrove forests grow in vicinity of urban areas in the southern islands of Iran and have close relation to the local life where a most sensitive marine ecosystem has emerged due to oil spills and petroleum discharges. Mangrove systems have the capability to act as a sink or a buffer and immobilise the entrance of heavy metals into the ecosystem. Three cohorts of mangrove ages (ages hypothesised by elevation of plants; (1) Juvenile, (2) less than 3 m, and (3) less than 5 m) were used to analyse heavy metals copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) in roots, leaves, and sediments. There was no relation between different ages and Cu and Pb accumulation.

The accumulated Cu and Pb was higher in the roots of the 3 cohorts than in their leaves. Concentration of heavy metals in sediments adjacent to nutrient roots exposures to heavy metals did not show significant difference. Essential metal (Cu; translocation factors (TF); ratio of leaf metal to root metal concentration of 0.79, and leaf bio-concentration factor (BCF) of 0.84), showed greater mobility than non-essential metal (Pb; TF of 0.84 and leaf BCF of 0.71).

Keywords: Bioaccumulation, ecotoxicology, heavy metals, mangrove

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Contact Address: Hamid Reza Sharifan, University of Cologne, Botanical Institute, Environmental Biotechnology LaboratoryGruengurtelstr.122 zimmer 01-08, 50996 Cologne, Germany, e-mail: hsharifangmail.com