Level of heavy metals concentration in Khawr-Almukalla, Hahramout, gulf of Aden

الملخص EN

This study was carried out to determine the concentration of lead (Pd2+) cadmium (Cd2+) and mercury (Hg2+) in sediments and in filtered bottom seawater in Khawr-Almukalla creek, Hadhramout coast.

Three stations in Khawr-Almukalla were studied including End-Khawr, Mid-Khawr and Mouth-Khawr.

The trial were undertaken along the four seasons of the year 2012, during which a total of 108 samples of sediments and 108 samples of bottom seawater were collected and analyzed.

The results showed that the highest concentration of Pb2+ in the sediment of Khawr-Almukalla stations was 35.2 ppm in summer and the lowest concentration was 23.1 ppm in winter, whereas the highest concentration of Cd2+ was 2.9 ppm in summer and the lowest was 1.8 ppm in winter.

These results showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05), regarding the concentration of Pb2+ and Cd2+ in the sediments of Khawr-Almukalla stations, for all seasons.

However, the highest concentration of Hg2+ was 0.1 ppm in summer and the lowest was 0.05 ppm in winter.

This result showed that there was no significant differences (P>0.05), regarding the concentration of Hg2+ in the sediments of Khawr-Almukalla stations, for all seasons.

In the other hand, the highest concentration of Pb2+ in filtered bottom seawater of Khawr-Almukalla stations was 0.13 ppm in summer and the lowest concentration was 0.07 ppm in winter.

This result showed that there was a significant difference, regarding the concentration of Pb2+ in filtered bottom seawater of Khawr-Almukalla stations, for all seasons.

However, the highest concentration of Cd2+ was 0.05 ppm in summer and the lowest was 0.01 ppm in winter, whereas the highest concentration of Hg2+ was 0.006 ppm in autumn and the lowest was 0.005 ppm in winter.

These results showed that there were no significant differences, regarding the concentration of Cd2+ and Hg2+ in filtered bottom seawater of Khawr-Almukalla stations, for all seasons.

From these results, it can be concluded that the heavy metals in the sediments and in the bottom seawater of Khawr-Almukalla were in polluted levels.

Therefore, the treatment of sewages before drain into Khawr-Almukalla is required to save the marine ecosystem as low pollution as it can be.

Further studies are essential to monitoring the pollution by heavy metals and other pollutants in this area.