Effect of some physicochemical properties of sediment on Nickel and Vanadium concentration in sediments, roots, and leaves of mangroves

Mangrove forests are of the most sensitive coastal ecosystems to oil pollution especially to Nickel and Vanadium bioaccumulation. The most important aim of the study was to compare the concentration of Nickel and Vanadium in sediments، mangrove roots and leaves in Nayband Marine National Park and Hara Protected Area in Qeshm Island; as well as to analyze the effects of physical and chemical parameters on these concentrations. So، the correlation between Nickel and Vanadium concentrations with sediment texture، EC، pH، and organic material were analyzed. The results showed that mean concentration of Nickel is higher than Vanadium in sediments and leaves of both habitats. It is also revealed that the mean concentration of both Nickel and Vanadium in sediments and roots in Nayband habitat are higher that those concentrations in Harra habitat which can be because of higher portion of soft texture in Harra habitat. However، the concentration of both Nickel and Vanadium in leaves in Nayband is much higher than of Harra habitat (about 2). This can have to explanations as: first، it might be because of more soluble Vanadium available for transferring to the leaves due to lower EC in Nayband sediments; second، higher exposure and absorption of vanadium from the air because of oil and gas activities in Nayband habitat. These findings are so concerning as usually the conservation، control، and monitoring plans are focused the habitats in vicinity of oil polluted areas but this research showed that also there are the other parameters more than distance-to-source controlling the accumulation of Nickel and Vanadium in mangrove habitats.