Geochemical Distribution and Transfer of Heavy Metals in Water, Soil, and Mazari Palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana) in the Mountainous Region, Balochistan

Abstract Heavy metal contamination in environmental resources, such as water, soil, and Mazari palm ( Nannorrhops ritchiana ). Mineral-rich landscapes, particularly in mountainous regions, are highly vulnerable. Prior research studies have not considered the dynamic processes and transfer of heavy metal pollution in these environmental resources. This research introduces a dynamic approach for assessing heavy metal contamination in water, soil, and Mazari palm ( Nannorrhops ritchiana ), providing critical insights into heavy-metal contamination in arid environments and establishing a foundation for future monitoring and environmental risk assessment. The study applied the Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) for water, the Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo) for soil, and the Transfer Factor (TF) for the indigenous Mazari palm ( Nannorrhops ritchiana ) to evaluate the contamination levels. The results for HPI analysis indicated that Zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), and Molybdenum (Mo) were major contributors, and Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), and aluminium (Al) reflected marked spatial variability in river water contamination. The Igeo analysis of soil samples indicated that Cu, Cr, and Zn are extremely high in the soil sources. In contrast, Co and Sb ranged from moderately to extremely contaminated. Nickel (Ni) consistently indicated heavy pollution, and molybdenum (Mo) showed moderate to heavy pollution. However, Mn and Fe were classified as unpolluted. This pattern indicates that Cu, Cr, and Zn are the most critical contaminants contributing to soil pollution in the study area. TF values showed that Mazari palm ( Nannorrhops ritchiana ) leaves exhibited negligible transfer of Al, Fe, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Co but indicated exceptionally high molybdenum (Mo) uptake (TF 2.68–7.00), which was further supported by EDX spectral analysis.