Ecological and health risks of soil and grape heavy metals in long-term fertilized vineyards (Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province of Iran).

Heavy metal pollution in food-producing ecosystems resulting from long-term fertilizing and other agricultural practices is causing major concern due to its health risk potential for human and other organisms. This study was designed to investigate heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd) and assess their ecological risk using contamination factor (Cf), pollution load index (PLI) and ecological risk index. Health risk assessment (HRA) was also estimated by investigating non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of soil via oral ingestion, dermal contact, inhalation, and health risk of grape consumption. To this aim, 38 fertilized vineyards of the region were investigated during harvesting seasons of 2016 and 2017. The results showed a same ranking order of the metals in the soil and grape that was Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Cd. The average concentrations of Zn and Pb in the grape samples were significantly higher than the national permissible limits. According to Cf and PLI indices, Cd had the most ecological risk compared to the other studied metals. The HRA results showed that adults and children are not exposed to non-carcinogenic risk from the studied heavy metals in the vineyard soils. But, it was a tolerable level of carcinogenic health risk only by Cr in some of the vineyards. The PLI had most significant correlation (p < 0.01) with the other studied indices. So, it can be considered as a rapid and applicable index to assess ecological and health risk of heavy metals in the region. To food-chain security and community health, some comprehensive managing plans are necessary to increase farmer's awareness about the standard amount of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Furthermore, continuous monitoring of heavy metals in soil and grape of the vineyards should be performed.

Multi-hazards vulnerability assessment of southern coasts of Iran.

Coastal vulnerability assessment has become one of the most important tools for decision making and providing effective managerial solutions to reduce adverse socio-economic impacts of multiple environmental hazards on coupled social-ecological systems of coastal areas. The aim of this study was to assess the vulnerability of the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf (PG) and the Gulf of Oman (GO) in the Hormozgan province of Iran. Nine variables of vulnerability that included the rate of coastline change, relative sea level rise, coastal slope, mean tidal range, coastal geomorphology, significant wave height (SWH), extreme storm surge, population density, and fishing intensity were weighted, mapped, and combined into the Coastal vulnerability index (CVI). Experts viewed sea level rise, shoreline change and extreme storm surge as most important for imparting vulnerabilities on the northern coasts of PG and GO. Socio-economic variables (i.e., population density and fishery intensity) were considered least important. Of the total length of the provincial shoreline, 27% were classified into the very low vulnerability class, 31% into the low, 17.4% into the moderate, 15.4% into the high, and 9.2% into the very high vulnerability class. About 1295 km (58%) of shorelines were classified into the low and very low vulnerability classes (CVI value ≤ 8.32) and mainly consisted of shorelines on the western coast along the PG. In contrast, 553 km (24.6%) of shorelines were classified into the high and very high vulnerability classes (CVI values > 13.39) and were located along the central coasts (especially in the Qeshm Island and Strait of Hormuz) and on the east coasts of the GO. At least a quarter of all shorelines in the province have high and very high vulnerability to environmental hazards that are the harbingers of climate change.