Zonation of coastal sediments based on the effective properties on the accumulation of heavy metals using the IDW and kriging method (case study: SW Iran)

This study investigated the effects of some physicochemical properties of sediments on the accumulation of heavy metals in portions of the Musa creek coasts (Jafari and Petrochemical creeks). Effective properties such as pH, EC, texture, G(S), (d), n, CaCO3 and OM were determined. All variables showed a normal distribution and general trends of NW-SE and NE-SW. After detrending the variables, ordinary kriging was used for modelling. The C-0/sigma(2), C-0/sigma(2,) and search radius criteria were used to select the best semivariogram. All the variables displayed a spatial structure with different intensities. The IDW method was also used for estimation. The cross-validation showed that the results of both IDW and kriging methods are almost similar. Distribution of the sand particle, G(S), n and OM decreases with distance from the waterways, whilst clay-silt deposits. In the center of the studied area, CaCO3 has the highest value and EC has the lowest value.