Caspian Sea 2011

2010

Chlorinated Organic Pesticides Several pollutants such as HCB, DDT and lin- dane were investigated during the 2001 survey. Generally, concentrations were low, except that of DDT and its compounds which exceeded NOAA quality standards at a number of locations in Azerbaijan and Iran. The Kura River was identified as a main source of such contamination (Mora and Sheikholeslami 2002). Furthermore, accord- ing to the same survey, lindane concentrations exceeded the Canadian (ISQG) sediment quality guideline value in the Russian sector, with con- centrations of 609 pg/g compared with the quality guideline standard of 320 pg/g. Five years later, no significant changes in DDT concentration were recorded: at some sites in Azerbaijan and Iran, concentrations were still high – three times above the ISQG standard. A persisting problem due to the use of DDT was observed in the Volga Delta, Azerbaijan and Iran, despite the global ban.

where values ranged from 280 to 3,000 ng/g (Mora and Sheikholeslami 2002). Subsequent reports in- dicated that concentrations of polycyclic aromat- ic hydrocarbons ( Σ -PAHs) continued to remain within the guideline value. According to various diagnostic ratios, the PAHs tended to be derived primarily from oil along with some combusti- ble products, particularly in the case of Azerbai- jan. Minor contributions from digenetic sources were detected, principally near the Volga Delta (CEP 2007a). In the case of the Russian Federa- tion, 2009 surveys revealed high concentrations of PAH in bottom sediments near the Dagestan coast, the Samur River, Derbent and Makhachka- la (TACIS 2009b). In Turkmenistan, the bottom sediments of Turkmenbashi Bay were found to be heavily polluted by oil products (TACIS 2009b). In Kazakhstan, only in one sample out of 14 – in the Aktau seaport area – were the concentrations of oil products in water found to exceed Admissible Concentration Limits (ACL) (TACIS 2009b).

Heavy metals in sediments

V

V

V

Atyrau

b a

b a

b a

Atyrau

o l g

o l g

Atyrau

o l g

m

m

m

E

E

E

a

a

a

Astrakhan

Astrakhan

Astrakhan

RUSSIA

RUSSIA

RUSSIA

KAZAKHSTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

Aktau

Aktau

Aktau

Makhachkala

Makhachkala

Makhachkala

Derbent

Derbent

Derbent

Baku

AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN

Turkmenbashi

Turkmenbashi

Turkmenbashi

Baku

Baku

k s

K u r

K u r

k s

k s

K u r

r a

r a

r a

A

a

a

a

A

A

TURKMENISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

k

k

k

a

a

r

a

r

t

r

t

t

A

A

A

Rasht

Rasht

Rasht

Gorgan

Gorgan

Gorgan

IRAN

IRAN

IRAN

Arsenic

Mercury

Copper

0

200 km

0

200 km

0

200 km

Sampling areas Arsenic concentration above ERL (8.2 µg/g)

Sampling areas Mercury concentration above ERL (0.15 µg/g)

Sampling areas Copper concentration above ERL (34 µg/g)

Note: Maximum arsenic concentration in analyses measured was 22.6 µg/g

Note: Maximum mercury concentration in analyses measured was 0.45 µg/g

Note: Maximum copper concentration in analyses measured was 57.6 µg/g

Source: Interpretation of Caspian Sea Sediment Data, Caspian Environment Programme, 2002; Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis Revisit, 2007 The Effects Range Low (ERL) is an indicator of concentrations above which adverse effects occur (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Sediment Quality Guideline Values).

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