{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,27]],"date-time":"2026-06-27T16:21:02Z","timestamp":1782577262107,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":82,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,28]],"date-time":"2018-03-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1522195200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Verein zur F\u00f6rderung einer natur- und sozialvertr\u00e4glichen Ern\u00e4hrungs- und Landschaftskultur e.V, Germany"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Water quality contamination by heavy metal pollution has severe effects on public health. In the Mashavera River Basin, an important agricultural area for the national food system in Georgia (e.g., vegetable, dairy and wine production), water contamination has multiple influences on the regional and country-wide health. With new industrial activities in the region, sediment extraction, and discharge of untreated wastewater into the river, its tributaries and irrigation canals, a comprehensive study of water quality was greatly needed. This study examined sediment and water samples from 17 sampling sites in the Mashavera River Basin during the high and low precipitation seasons. The results were characterized utilizing the Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Pollution Load index (PLI), Contamination Factor (CF) and Metal Index (MI). According to the CFs, Cu &gt; Cd &gt; Zn &gt; Pb &gt; Fe &gt; Mn &gt; Ni &gt; Cr &gt; Hg is the descending order for the content of all observed heavy metals in sediments collected in both seasons. Fe and As were additionally examined in water samples. Overall, As, Cd and Pb, all highly toxic elements, were found in high concentrations in downstream sample sites. According to these results, comprehensive monitoring with narrow intervals between sampling dates, more sample sites along all waterways, and proximate observation of multiple trace metal elements are highly recommended. Moreover, as the part of the water quality governance system, an immediate and sustainable collective action by all stakeholders to control the pollution level is highly recommended, as this issue is linked to the security of the national food system and poses a local public health risk.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph15040621","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,29]],"date-time":"2018-03-29T05:26:37Z","timestamp":1522301197000},"page":"621","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":81,"title":["Water Quality in Surface Water: A Preliminary Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of the Mashavera River, Georgia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9669-8508","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sisira","family":"Withanachchi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Organic Food Quality and Food Culture, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, University of Kassel, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7178-176X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giorgi","family":"Ghambashidze","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi 0159, Georgia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2114-7699","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ilia","family":"Kunchulia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Michail Sabashvili Institute of Soil Science, Agrochemistry and Melioration, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi 0159, Georgia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Teo","family":"Urushadze","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi 0159, Georgia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4881-261X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angelika","family":"Ploeger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Organic Food Quality and Food Culture, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, University of Kassel, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"United Nation (2015). The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2017, United Nations."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Hassing, J., Ipsen, N., Clausen, T.J., Larsen, H., and Lindgaard-J\u00f8rgensen, P. (2009). Integrated Water Resources Management in Action, DHI Water Policy and the UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1080\/02508060.2017.1330816","article-title":"The EU Water Initiative at 15: Origins, processes and assessment","volume":"42","author":"Fritsch","year":"2017","journal-title":"Water Int."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"283","article-title":"Estimation of heavy metals in drinking water and development of heavy metal pollution index","volume":"31","author":"Mohan","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Environ. Sci. Health A"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shanbehzadeh, S., Vahid Dastjerdi, M., Hassanzadeh, A., and Kiyanizadeh, T. (2014). Heavy metals in water and sediment: A case study of Tembi River. J. Environ. Public Health.","DOI":"10.1155\/2014\/858720"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"282","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecolind.2014.08.016","article-title":"Heavy metal pollution in surface water and sediment: A preliminary assessment of an urban river in a developing country","volume":"48","author":"Islam","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ecol. Indic."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"1407","article-title":"Heavy metal contamination in water and sediment downstream of municipal wastewater treatment plants, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania","volume":"3","author":"Kihampa","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aasci.2016.08.009","article-title":"The ecological problems of rivers of Georgia (the Caspian Sea basin)","volume":"14","author":"Lomsadze","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ann. Agrar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1715","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph9051715","article-title":"Influence of traffic activity on heavy metal concentrations of roadside farmland soil in mountainous areas","volume":"9","author":"Zhang","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"11","article-title":"Heavy metal pollution of soils and food crops due to mining wastes in an irrigation district south of Tbilisi, eastern Georgia","volume":"5","author":"Urushadze","year":"2007","journal-title":"Ann. Agrar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.5775\/fg.2067-4635.2012.012.d","article-title":"Pollution of Soils by Heavy Metals from Irrigation near Mining Region of Georgia","volume":"11","author":"Matchavariani","year":"2012","journal-title":"Forum Geogr."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aasci.2017.05.001","article-title":"Determination of Cu, Zn and Cd in soil, water and food products in the vicinity of RMG gold and copper mine, Kazreti, Georgia","volume":"15","author":"Avkopashvili","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ann. Agrar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"(2017, December 03). Agenda\u2014Mining Resumes at Controversial Sakdrisi Gold Mine. Available online: http:\/\/agenda.ge\/news\/26482\/eng."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Georgian Mining Corporation (GEO) (2018, January 05). Drilling Update from KB Gold Zone 2 and New Gold Discovery. Available online: http:\/\/intel.rscmme.com\/report\/Georgian_Mining_Corp_Zone_2_24-10-2017."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"(2018, March 08). Enhancing Capacity for Low Emission Development Strategies (EC-LEDS)\/Clean Energy Program and the Bolnisi Municipality. Available online: http:\/\/remissia.ge\/SEAP-Bolnisi-ENG.pdf."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia (MOA) (2017, October 19). Georgian Agro-Food Sector\u2014For Your Investment. Available online: https:\/\/www.rvo.nl\/sites\/default\/files\/2016\/01\/Agro%20Guide%20Georgie.pdf."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"243","article-title":"Modeling of heavy metal contamination within an irrigated area","volume":"Volume 70","author":"Baba","year":"2006","journal-title":"Groundwater and Ecosystems"},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Efe, R., and Ozturk, M. (2014). Problem of Surface Water Ecology in Georgia. Environment and Ecology in the Mediterranean Region II, Cambridge Scholars Publishing."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"M\u00fcller, G. (2017, November 20). Schadstoffe in Sedimenten\u2014Sedimente als Schadstoffe. Available online: http:\/\/www2.uibk.ac.at\/downloads\/oegg\/Band_79_107_126.pdf."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Withanachchi, S.S., Ghambashidze, G., Kunchulia, I., Urushadze, T., and Ploeger, A. (2018). A Paradigm Shift in Water Quality Governance in a Transitional Context: A Critical Study about the Empowerment of Local Governance in Georgia. Water, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/w10020098"},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"(2017, December 08). Georgia Environmental and Climate Change Policy Brief. Department of Economics, Sweden; University of Gothenburg, 2009. Available online: http:\/\/sidaenvironmenthelpdesk.se\/wordpress3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Georgia-EnvCC-Policy-Brief-Draft-090130.pdf."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Meladze, G., and Meladze, M. (2010). Agroclimatic Resources of Eastern Georgia, Publishing House Universal. (In Georgian)."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Tsikaridze, N., Avkopashvili, G., Kazaishvili, K.H., Avkopashvili, M., Gognadze, A., and Samkharadze, Z. (2017). Kvemo Kartli Manufacturing Mining Pollution Analysis in Green Politics Context, Green Policy Public Platform. (In Georgian)."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"(2018, January 25). GDAM (Global Administrative Areas) Data Set. Available online: http:\/\/gadm.org\/download."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"(2018, January 25). Planet OSM. Available online: https:\/\/planet.osm.org."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Simpson, S.L., Batley, G.E., Chariton, A.A., Stauber, J.L., King, C.K., Chapman, J.C., Hyne, R.V., Gale, S.A., Roach, A.C., and Maher, W.A. (2018, January 05). Handbook for Sediment Quality Assessment. Available online: http:\/\/www.clw.csiro.au\/publications\/cecr\/handbook_sediment_quality_assessment.pdf."},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"14","article-title":"Sediment contamination due to toxic heavy metals in Mithi River of Mumbai","volume":"2","author":"Singare","year":"2012","journal-title":"Adv. Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00279148","article-title":"Diurnal variations in the water chemistry of a river contaminated by heavy metals: Natural biological cycling and anthropic influence","volume":"86","author":"Bourg","year":"1996","journal-title":"Water Air Soil Pollut."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nimick, D.A., Gammons, C.H., Cleasby, T.E., Madison, J.P., Skaar, D., and Brick, C.M. (2003). Diel cycles in dissolved metal concentrations in streams: Occurrence and possible causes. Water Resour. Res., 39.","DOI":"10.1029\/2002WR001571"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.2166\/wst.2011.834","article-title":"Diurnal fluctuation of zinc concentration in metal polluted rivers and its potential impact on water quality and flux estimates","volume":"65","author":"Rudall","year":"2011","journal-title":"Water Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Nimick, D.A. (2018, January 15). Diurnal Variation in Trace-Metal Concentrations in Streams (No. 086-03), Available online: https:\/\/pubs.usgs.gov\/fs\/fs08603\/pdf\/fs08603.pdf."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.3184\/095422914X13951584546986","article-title":"Application of geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor for assessing metal contamination in the sediments of Hara Biosphere Reserve, Iran","volume":"26","author":"Nowrouzi","year":"2014","journal-title":"Chem. Speciat. Bioavailab."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1077","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2016.09.008","article-title":"Comparison of pollution indices for the assessment of heavy metal in Brisbane River sediment","volume":"219","author":"Duodu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"\u0160trbac, S., Grubin, M.K., and Vasi\u0107, N. (2017). Importance of background values in assessing the impact of heavy metals in river ecosystems: Case study of Tisza River, Serbia. Environ. Geochem. Health, 1\u201317.","DOI":"10.1007\/s10653-017-0053-0"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1130\/0016-7606(1961)72[175:DOTEIS]2.0.CO;2","article-title":"Distribution of the Elements in some major units of the Earth\u2019s crust","volume":"72","author":"Turekian","year":"1961","journal-title":"Geol Soc. Am. Bull."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"571","DOI":"10.1016\/S1001-0742(08)62096-3","article-title":"Using geoaccumulation index to study source profiles of soil dust in China","volume":"20","author":"Yaqin","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Environ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.1007\/s11270-005-5268-5","article-title":"Estimation of source of heavy metal contamination in sediments of Gomti River (India) using principal component analysis","volume":"166","author":"Singh","year":"2005","journal-title":"Water Air Soil Pollut."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12441","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph111212441","article-title":"Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments from the Yanghe River, China","volume":"11","author":"Li","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1007\/s10661-007-9678-2","article-title":"Assessment of heavy metal enrichment factors and the degree of contamination in marine sediments from Tamaki Estuary, Auckland, New Zealand","volume":"136","author":"Abrahim","year":"2008","journal-title":"Environ. Monit. Assess."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1669","DOI":"10.1007\/s13201-015-0334-7","article-title":"Heavy metals in sediments of Ganga River: Up-and downstream urban influences","volume":"7","author":"Pandey","year":"2017","journal-title":"Appl. Water Sci."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejar.2014.09.004","article-title":"Metal pollution assessment in the surface sediment of Lake Nasser, Egypt","volume":"40","author":"Goher","year":"2014","journal-title":"Egypt. J. Aquat. Res."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"805","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envint.2005.05.042","article-title":"Impacts of sewage irrigation on heavy metal distribution and contamination in Beijing, China","volume":"31","author":"Liu","year":"2005","journal-title":"Environ. Int."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1334","DOI":"10.1590\/S0103-50532009000700019","article-title":"Regional geochemical baselines and controlling factors for trace metals in sediments from the Poxim River, Northeast Brazil","volume":"20","author":"Garcia","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Braz. Chem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1016\/S0048-9697(99)00522-7","article-title":"Critical Examination of Trace Element Enrichment and Depletions in Soils; As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in Swiss Forest Soil","volume":"249","author":"Blaser","year":"2000","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tvalchrelidze, A.G., and Morizot, G. (2003). Mineral resource base of Georgia in the XXI century. Mineral Resource Base of the Southern Caucasus and Systems for its Management in the XXI Century, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-010-0084-0"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"399","DOI":"10.1016\/0012-821X(79)90049-9","article-title":"Variable influence of the atmospheric flux on the trace metal chemistry of oceanic suspended matter","volume":"42","author":"Chesselet","year":"1979","journal-title":"Earth Planet. Sci. Lett."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"975","DOI":"10.1016\/0043-1354(80)90143-8","article-title":"An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach","volume":"14","year":"1980","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"306","DOI":"10.1007\/s10661-015-4563-x","article-title":"Development of a hybrid pollution index for heavy metals in marine and estuarine sediments","volume":"187","author":"Brady","year":"2015","journal-title":"Environ. Monit. Assess."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"566","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02414780","article-title":"Problems in the assessment of heavy-metal levels in estuaries and the formation of a pollution index","volume":"33","author":"Tomlinson","year":"1980","journal-title":"Helgol\u00e4nder Meeresuntersuchungen"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03326113","article-title":"Geochemical distribution of trace metal pollutants in water and sediments of downstream of an urban river","volume":"7","author":"Mohiuddin","year":"2010","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1051","DOI":"10.1006\/ecss.2001.0879","article-title":"Riverine composition and estuarine geochemistry of particulate metals in China\u2014weathering features, anthropogenic impact and chemical fluxes","volume":"54","author":"Zhang","year":"2002","journal-title":"Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"560","DOI":"10.1186\/s40064-016-2158-9","article-title":"Evaluation of surface water quality indices and ecological risk assessment for heavy metals in scrap yard neighbourhood","volume":"5","author":"Ojekunle","year":"2016","journal-title":"SpringerPlus"},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejar.2014.09.001","article-title":"Evaluation of surface water quality and heavy metal indices of Ismailia Canal, Nile River, Egypt","volume":"40","author":"Goher","year":"2014","journal-title":"Egypt. J. Aquat. Res."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"453","DOI":"10.4194\/trjfas.2010.0403","article-title":"Integrated environmental quality assessment of the K\u0131z\u0131l\u0131rmak River and its coastal environment","volume":"10","author":"Bakan","year":"2010","journal-title":"Turk. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci."},{"key":"ref_55","first-page":"29","article-title":"Evaluation of Water Quality Using Heavy Metal Index and Multivariate Statistical Analysis in Lorestan Province, Iran","volume":"5","author":"Khoshnam","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Adv. Environ. Health Res."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2003.10.011","article-title":"Heavy metals in drinking waters from Mount Amiata (Tuscany, Italy). Possible risks from arsenic for public health in the Province of Siena","volume":"327","author":"Tamasi","year":"2004","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_57","unstructured":"Fondriest Fundamentals of Environmental Measurements (2017, January 19). Conductivity, Salinity & Total Dissolved Solids. Available online: http:\/\/www.fondriest.com\/environmental-measurements\/parameters\/water-quality\/conductivity-salinity-tds\/."},{"key":"ref_58","unstructured":"USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2017, January 20). Aquatic Toxicity Reference Values (TRVs) in Surface Water. Available online: https:\/\/clu-in.org\/download\/contaminantfocus\/dnapl\/Toxicology\/DOE_SW_tox_valuep 76.pdf."},{"key":"ref_59","unstructured":"Georgian Mining Corporation (2017, January 25). Building the Next Georgian Copper-Gold Producer. Available online: http:\/\/www.georgianmining.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/GEO-Presentation-July-2017-UK.pdf."},{"key":"ref_60","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"309","DOI":"10.1007\/s10661-008-0317-3","article-title":"An assessment of metal pollution in surface sediments of Seyhan dam by using enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index and statistical analyses","volume":"152","author":"Derici","year":"2009","journal-title":"Environ. Monit. Assess."},{"key":"ref_61","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17255","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-016-6678-1","article-title":"Spatial distribution of trace elements and ecotoxicity of bottom sediments in Rybnik reservoir, Silesian-Poland","volume":"23","author":"Baran","year":"2016","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_62","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecoenv.2012.06.027","article-title":"Assessment of spatial distribution and potential ecological risk of the heavy metals in relation to granulometric contents of Veeranam lake sediments, India","volume":"84","author":"Suresh","year":"2012","journal-title":"Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf."},{"key":"ref_63","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1070","DOI":"10.4236\/jep.2012.39125","article-title":"Correlation between heavy metals in fish and sediment in Sakumo and Kpeshie Lagoons, Ghana","volume":"3","author":"Klake","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Environ. Prot."},{"key":"ref_64","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1220","DOI":"10.1007\/s00128-003-0112-3","article-title":"Heavy metal distribution in surface sediments from Mtwapa and Shirazi creeks, Kenyan coast","volume":"70","author":"Muohi","year":"2003","journal-title":"Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_65","unstructured":"Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs of Georgia (2001). Order of Minister of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs of Georgia\u2014On Approval of the Norms of the Quality of Environment 297\/N, Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs of Georgia. Update 2012."},{"key":"ref_66","unstructured":"European Council (1998). European Council Directive 98\/83\/EC\u2014The Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption, European Council."},{"key":"ref_67","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2008). Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality (Electronic Resource): Incorporating 1st and 2nd Addenda, Volume 1, Recommendations, World Health Organization."},{"key":"ref_68","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"643","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2004.04.016","article-title":"A preliminary risk assessment of trace elements accumulated in fish to the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) in the Northwestern waters of Hong Kong","volume":"56","author":"Hung","year":"2004","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_69","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tchounwou, P.B., Yedjou, C.G., Patlolla, A.K., and Sutton, D.J. (2012). Heavy metal toxicity and the environment. Molecular, Clinical and Environmental Toxicology, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-7643-8340-4_6"},{"key":"ref_70","first-page":"144","article-title":"Arsenic and Cadmium Contamination in Water, Sediments and Fish is a Consequence of Paddy Cultivation: Evidence of River Pollution in Sri Lanka","volume":"10","author":"Perera","year":"2016","journal-title":"Achiev. Life Sci."},{"key":"ref_71","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aquatox.2014.03.017","article-title":"Lead toxicity on non-specific immune mechanisms of freshwater fish Channa punctatus","volume":"152","author":"Paul","year":"2014","journal-title":"Aquat. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_72","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1007\/s11104-010-0634-5","article-title":"In situ stabilization of metals (Cu, Cd, and Zn) in contaminated soils in the region of Bolnisi, Georgia","volume":"341","author":"Hanauer","year":"2011","journal-title":"Plant Soil"},{"key":"ref_73","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"708","DOI":"10.1002\/jpln.201100367","article-title":"Suitability of inorganic and organic amendments for in situ immobilization of Cd, Cu, and Zn in a strongly contaminated Kastanozem of the Mashavera valley, SE Georgia. I. Effect of amendments on metal mobility and microbial activity in soil","volume":"175","author":"Hanauer","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci."},{"key":"ref_74","unstructured":"Melikadze, G. (2006). Monitoring and spatial-time modelling of groundwater on territories of Georgia for solving ecological and seismic problems (in Georgian). [Ph.D. Dissertation, Tbilisi State University]."},{"key":"ref_75","unstructured":"National Environmental Agency Personal communication."},{"key":"ref_76","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1440-1770.2000.00094.x","article-title":"Role of Bottom Sediments in the Secondary Pollution of Aquatic Environment by Heavy Metal Compounds","volume":"5","author":"Luinnik","year":"2000","journal-title":"Lakes Reser. Res. Manag."},{"key":"ref_77","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.4236\/oalib.1102462","article-title":"An Assessment of Some Heavy Metals in Sediment of Otamiri River, Imo State, South-Eastern Nigeria","volume":"3","author":"Temitope","year":"2016","journal-title":"OALib J."},{"key":"ref_78","unstructured":"Manjavidze, T. (2017, January 28). National Nutrition Study in Georgia. Available online: http:\/\/foodsecuritysc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Nutrition-Research-short-version-English-Final.pdf."},{"key":"ref_79","first-page":"38","article-title":"Soil Pollution with Cu, Zn and Cd by Non-Ferrous Metal Mining Affects Soil-Microbial Activity of Kastanozems in the Mashavera Valley","volume":"9","author":"Hanauer","year":"2011","journal-title":"Ann. Agrar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_80","unstructured":"National Environmental Agency of Georgia (NEA) (2017, January 28). Water Quality Assessment Reports 2013, 2014, 2015, Available online: http:\/\/www.moe.gov.ge\/ka\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%94%E1%83%9B%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98\/wyali\/wylis-monitoringi."},{"key":"ref_81","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1186\/s12940-017-0315-4","article-title":"Human health implications of organic food and organic agriculture: A comprehensive review","volume":"16","author":"Mie","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Health"},{"key":"ref_82","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.7424\/jsm130102","article-title":"Sustainable development of mining mineral resources","volume":"12","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Sustain. Min."}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/15\/4\/621\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T14:58:52Z","timestamp":1760194732000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/15\/4\/621"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,28]]},"references-count":82,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph15040621"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph15040621","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2018,3,28]]}}}