Assessment of the present status of the red sea coastal zone between haql and yanbu, Saudi Arabia

Abstract EN

The aim of this study is to assess the concentration level of some heavy metals (Zn, Cu and Fe) in the surface sediments of the coastal area from Haql to Yanbu along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea during 2009.

The concentration (μg/g) levels range from 4.38 to 73.25 for Zn; 0.0 to 41.25 for Cu; 1263 to 33763 for Fe in lower intertidal sediments.

They range in upper intertidal sediments from 5.13 to 63.0 for Zn; 0.0 to 53.75 for Cu, and 2350 to 89350 for Fe.

The present environmental status was assessed using, enrichment factor (EF) and Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), to compensate the influence of natural variability in sediment.

The results reveal that both metal enrichment factor (EF) and Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) show that the enrichment of Zn and Cu in most of the study area is insignificant.

However, with respect to a specific site in study area, stations numbered 3, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 22 are highly enriched with Cu and Zn.

The reason behind this enrichment is attributed to human activities along the coastal zone (municipal discharges, industrial development, tourism activities, desalination plants … etc.