A comprehensive assessment to offer optimized remediation method for mercury contamination in Musa Bay by using...

Musa Bay, the largest wetland in Iran and one of the most important Hg-polluted media, plays a significant role in the ecosystem of the area and supports many forms of life. Mercury pollution has detrimental effects on the human body and at high levels leads to the loss of microorganisms in marine ecosystems. Hence, a comprehensive assessment for selecting an effective and sustainable remediation method is crucial to restoring the ecosystem promptly. The determination of a proper and practical treatment method not only is a case-based approach, but could be challenging due to its multi-criteria decision-making nature. Considering preferred crucial factors involved in the effectiveness of remedial actions, in this study a questionnaire is designed to assess the opinion of environmental experts, stakeholders, and some occupants of the area on remedial actions based on the importance weights of criteria. Subsequently, practical remediation and management strategies ranked by hybrid FVIKOR as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method. Ranking results show that dredging and stabilization could offer a promising solution for the remediation of the case study. The results of the study demonstrate that the development of MCDM methods along with effective criteria and considering the analysis of the questionnaires, could offer the best remediation strategy for a specific contaminated site.