Evaluation of trace elements concentration using sediments and mussels as bioindicators and pollution indices in the Egyptian Red Sea

Abstract

The current work was designed to evaluate the pollution status of the coastline region of the Egyptian Red Sea through monitoring the trace elements in sediments and mussels (Brachidontes variabilis and Modiolus auriculatus) that sampled during winter and summer 2019 from nineteen stations along the investigated area. The analyzed elements showed an annual mean of 20.21, 2.08, 4.79, 46.41, 11.35, 18.14, 128.93 and 12,520.07 μg/g (sediments), 1.02, 0.39, 3.35, 23.73, 0.59, 1.14, 1.43 and 81.94 μg/g (B. variabilis) and 1.39, 0.47, 1.70, 24.69, 0.77, 1.66, 2.16 and 119.80 μg/g (M. auriculatus) for Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Mn and Fe, respectively. The summer recorded highest values of all studied elements in the mussels' species with significant temporal variations (p < 0.05) for the most investigated elements. The pollution indices like CF, PLI, MPI, Igeo and EF were calculated to evaluate the elements contamination degree in the examined areas.