Evaluating the Accumulation of Lanthanum and Cerium Pollutants in Aquatic Plants in the Hammar Marsh

Abstract

This study endeavors to scrutinize the concentrations and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of 10 metal elements (Ce, La, Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Ti, Mn, and P) in water and aquatic plant tissue samples from the Hammar Marsh in Iraq. The collection of samples was carried out in May 2018 at four distinct stations along the river, employing suitable methods and equipment. The metal concentrations were ascertained using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), adhering to a standard calibration method and quality control procedures. BAFs were computed as the ratio of a metal’s concentration in aquatic plant tissue to its concentration in water. The study also conducted descriptive statistics and correlation analysis on the data to investigate the abundance, variability, distribution, shape, confidence level, and associations of the metals. It emphasized the spatial and temporal variability and the interactions of lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) with other metals in river sediments. The findings revealed that La and Ce had distinct sources, effects, and interaction mechanisms with other metals, contingent on various factors. The study also found that some metals had higher average BAF values than others, suggesting that they were more readily absorbed by aquatic plants from water and accumulated in their tissues. La had a higher average BAF value than Ce. The study proposed that further analysis and monitoring of these metals are necessary to assess their environmental impacts and potential health risks for humans consuming aquatic plants from contaminated water sources. The concentrations of Ce and La in the water and aquatic plant tissue samples exhibited considerable variation across the four stations in the Hammar Marsh. The translocation factor (TF) of Ce and La indicates that the aquatic plants have a limited capacity to accumulate these elements from the water. The results of the one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD test show significant differences in the concentrations of Ce and La among the stations, suggesting the presence of different pollution sources or environmental factors influencing the distribution of these elements. The Pearson correlation analysis reveals positive associations between Ce and La, as well as between some other elements, indicating that they may have similar origins or behaviors in the water and aquatic plant tissue samples.