Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution in Marine Sediments along the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt

Abstract

The Mediterranean Sea receives domestic, agricultural and industrial untreated wastewaters from many cities and surrounding villages between Damietta and Port Said. The present study was to obtain a preliminary assessment about the level and distribution of some heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb and Zn) in its surface sediment collected from 14 stations. The metal concentrations (in µg/g) ranged: Fe, 947-1483; Mn, 47.58-257.1; Cu, 1.629-14.69; Pb, 1.16-19.07; and Zn, 7.996-400.3. Spatial variation in concentrations was observed for all metals. Pollution status was evaluated using five indices: The enrichment factor, geo-accumulation index, contamination factor, degree of contamination and pollution load index. Based on enrichment factors, geoaccumulation index and contamination factor, it was noticed that Zn was the major pollutant in the present study. The high values for Zn and Pb were given an indication that its sources had the highest anthropogenic inputs. This study revealed a severe enrichment for Zn and Pb, while Cu and Mn indicated minor values. DC values of sediments samples were ranged from 0.35 to 5.27. The degree of contamination in the study area was related to low degree and moderate degree of contamination. PLI values of sediments in the different sites of sediment samples ranged from 0.040 to 0.395 with average of 0.221. The decrease in PLI values indicating dilution and dispersion of metal content with increasing distance from source areas.