Distribution of some heavy metals in sediments, water and different trophic levels from Jeddah coast, Red Sea

Abstract EN

Amounts of some heavy metals (Cu.

Zn.

Cd.

Fe and Mn) in sediments at surface, suspended matter, water, planktons, and some macro-algae and fishes from Jeddah coastal zone were studied.

Aluminium.

Mg, Ca and P were also measured in the sediments.

Distribu- tions of the heavy metals (salinity and dissolved oxygen or hydrogen sulphide) in the water and hulk sediments, suggest that the coastal area can be divided into two zones; the Bankalah Zone, adjacent to sewage outfalls from Jeddah City center, is anoxic and contains high values of the heavy metals, and the other (representing the rest of Jeddah coastal area between the Is- lamic Harbour and Attahlia) isoxic and far from this effect.

The metal contents of its different environmental compartments including the studied biota are comparable to those in their counterparts in less polluted areas of the Red Sea as well as of the world.

Study of the sediments’ interrelationships between those heavy metals and P and A1 suggests that the concentrations of Cu, Zn and A1 can distinguish Bankalah sediments from the others of Jeddah coast, and shows that partial mobilization of Mn from the Bankalah sediments to the host euxinic water has occurred.