Survey of the Environmental Impact of the Petrochemical Industry of Mahshahr Economic Special Zone Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process Method

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

1 MSc. in Environmental Management, Faculty of Environment and Energy, Islamic Azad University (Science and Research Campus)

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Environment, Technical and Engineering Faculty, Islamic Azad University (Northern Branch of Tehran Campus)

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Environment, Faculty of Environment and Energy, Islamic Azad University (Science and Research Campus)

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental, Technical and Engineering Faculty, Islamic Azad University (Northern Branch of Tehran Campus)

Abstract

Petrochemical Industries are potentially capable of having impacts on environment due to the nature of these activities and the production of waste water, pollutant gaseous emissions and hazardous wastes. This case study has considered the adverse environmental impacts of petrochemical industries on existing habitats in Mahshahr Special Economic Zone with respect to the regionally significant biological diversity and ecologically valuable species. When results from regional estuary biological and physio–chemical quality sampling as well as of impacts from petrochemical industry pollutants has been analyzed and studied, the affected ecosystems have been ranked using the Analytic Hierarchy Process method, Expert Choice software and the Eigenvector technique. The study’s outcomes show that, with respect to the essence of petrochemical industry pollutants in the region, specifically waste waters including heavy metals, oil and grease, COD, TSS, along with principal standards, criteria defined in the AHP method (such as ecological value, protecting value and exposure), estuaries represent the most affected ecosystems in the region. On the other hand, different types of fish and benthic, such as Decapods, Gastropods and Tanaida have been highly affected by the consequences of the petrochemical industry’s activities. It is concluded that deposits of heavy metals, oil and grease into the environment are the most important sources of pollution for the regional estuaries and these should be controlled.

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