Background levels of heavy metals in dissolved, particulate phases of water and sediment of Al-Hodeidah Red Sea Coast of Yemen

Abstract EN

Al-Hodeidah is one of the main cities on the Red Sea.

From the last few decades and up till now, this city has suffered from increasing in population, urbanization and industrial activities.

Marine pollution of the Red Sea by heavy metals is attributed to a number of anthropogenic activities especially sewage and industrial waste effluents.

The impact of these activities on the coastal area is the subject of the present work.

Lack of data about the levels of heavy metals concentrations in the Red Sea Coast of Yemen impelled us to do such investigation.

Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was used.

The mean concentrations of dissolved metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Fe, Ni, & Mn) ranged from : 0.00-9.45, 5.32-174.00, 0.04-2.65, 0.10-2.85, 0.024-29.05, 0.12-22.43, 3.48-206.50, and 0.12-8.00 (µg/l) respectively.

While for particulate metals were: 1.11-472.60, 2.72-199.00, 0.22-101.63, 2.64-832.50, 1.54-534.60, 8.64-691.77, 4.32-194.50, and 98.10-6966.60 (µg/g dry weight) respectively.

The concentrations of the same metals in sediments were: 4.02-18.25, 36.70-79.90, 0.20- 5.80, 4.99-6.26, 6.38-38.46, 99.67-199.76, 7.10-116.40, and 9.17-26.71 (µg/g dry weight) respectively.

High concentrations of heavy metals were observed in front of Al-Hodeidah City, which could be due to the anthropogenic activities, while the low concentrations were observed in Al-Mandhar a remote area.

Heavy metal contamination in water and sediment is partially caused also by atmospheric input of local particulates from motor vehicle and from the mountainous regions which drain its water from Yemen highland to the Red Sea through different vallies.

Comparing our finding with other regional data clarifies that the heavy metals pollution in Al-Hodeidah coast is still localized and low.

On the other hand, our data are considered the first study in this region and it could serve as a base for further studies in the future.