Assessment of toxic metals in coastal sediments of the Rosetta area, Mediterranean Sea, Egypt

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to assess the level and distribution of Mg, Co, Cu, Cd, U, Sr, Zn, As, V, Pb, Ti, Mn, Ba, Ce, Ni, P, Cr, Zr, Hf and Fe in coastal sediments of Abu Khashaba beach, Rosetta area, Egyptian Mediterranean coast. The level of pollution was evaluated using enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index and contamination factor. The results indicated that Abu Khashaba coastal sediments were extremely enriched and very strongly polluted with Cd; severely enriched and strongly polluted with As and Pb, and moderately severely enriched and polluted with Ni, Co, Sr and Ce. The highest Fe, Ba, Ce, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, Sr, Co, Cd, U, Cu, Hf, Cr and Zr were recorded along the shoreline. Fe, Mn, Pb, Co, Cd, Cu and Cr values in the Abu Khashaba coastal sediments were much higher than those recorded in the coastal sediments of the Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf and the Daliao River System of China. The enrichment of Cd, As, Pb, Ce, Ni in the sediments could be partially attributed to anthropogenic inputs and also to other already existing naturally occurring metals.