Probingthe lethal agent in the hot spring of the Death Valley in Tashan city, South of Iran

The Death Valley spring which is located in the Zagros Mountains, KhozestanProvince, Iran, emerges along the Bangestan Fault andit is a unique landscape. Water flows from a hot headstream through a colorful bed into the valley for about 2 km down-run and disappears through the alluvialdeposits.In the last decade, it was reported that five persons and many animalshave died as a result of gas inhalation from it. Attempts have been made to find out the secret behind the availability of organisms in the mentioned spring and the reason for the death of five persons.The purpose of this paper is to study the Death Valley, which is located in the south of Iran (Tashan City),as well as the lethal agent and other index mineral compounds in its water.Air analysis was performed near the headstream to know more about the fatal gas in the area. The results showed that the concentration of Hydrogen sulfide was as high as 400ppm during hot season which could lead to pulmonary edema and death.Water in the area contains a high concentration of sulfide (1780 mg/L) which is a characteristic of thermal or hot spring waters. This gas isavailable along the stream and also far from the spring. The eminence of spring water is high enough to be exploited for remedial purposes.Hydrogen sulfide (a poisonous gas) was detected near the spring and has caused the death of 5 people as a result of pulmonary failure. The highestconcentration was observed in the spring (400ppm) and at the hot months of the year.

کلیدواژه ها:

Death Valley ، Hydrogen sulfide ، poisonous gas ، Heavy metal ، Tashan