Dissolved trace-metal concentrations along the Mediterranean Sea, to the north of the Nile Delta Region, Egypt

Abstract

This work focuses on four marine sites of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Nile Delta, Egypt. Surface-water samples were collected seasonally during 2003. The aim of this study is to assess the levels of some dissolved trace metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Pb) in two environmental conditions. The metal concentrations in the coastal zone were in the following ranges: 11.92–30.45 μg l⁻¹ for Fe, 5.79–17.36 μg l⁻¹ for Mn, 0.87–7.80 μg l⁻¹ for Zn, 0.40–1.87 μg l⁻¹ for Cu, and 1.53–10.31 μg l⁻¹ for Pb. In the sites with continental water input (mixing zone), the metals were scattered in the following ranges: Fe (19.72–60.33 μg l⁻¹), Mn (12.63–35.60 μg l⁻¹), Zn (2.67–22.00), Cu (0.83–8.10 μg l⁻¹), and Pb (1.72–29.7 μg l⁻¹). The results for the metal concentrations showed a remarkable decrease in the levels of the different metals going from the estuaries and outlets into the coastal sea water. Generally, the levels of the metals in the two zones are higher than the background levels of the unpolluted area. A comparison of the trace-metal levels in the coastal zone of the Mediterranean Sea north of Nile Delta with the minimal risk concentration (reported by water-quality criteria, WQC) showed a significantly lower content at the coastal area of the Mediterranean sea of Egypt. The study also indicated that the impact of anthropogenic inputs was limited in the distribution of the metals, except that the Pb content was slightly higher in the area of the mixing zone than that reported for WQC. The relationships between the different trace-metal concentrations and the other parameters (salinity, chlorophyll a and suspended particulate matter) were discussed, and the simple regressions between them were evaluated.

Keywords:

• Trace metals
• Estuaries
• Nile Delta
• Mediterranean Sea