An Overview of Metal Pollution in the Western Harbour of Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

Limited data are available on the concentration of metals in sediments in the Western Harbour of Alexandria. The most comprehensive record is from a survey conducted more than a decade ago. Industrial and human activities in and around this area have increased dramatically in the last 20 years. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in surfacial bottom sediments of the harbor, to assess their potential biological effects and to identify their possible sources. Sediment samples from 21 stations throughout the harbor were analyzed for grain size, total organic carbon content (TOC), and metals (Al, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, V, and Zn) to assess the extent of contamination in the area. The results indicated that concentrations of metals in the sediments varied widely depending on the location. High levels of metals were observed in the Arsenal Basin and the outfall area of El Mahmoudiya Canal in the inner harbor. The concentrations of metals were found to be higher than those recorded in the previous study. However, with some exceptions, most of the changes in the metal concentrations could be accounted for by the variations in aluminum, which represents the variations in mineralogy and grain size, indicating that the majority of the metals were of “natural” origin. The present data were also compared with results from other areas.

Keywords:

• Metals
• harbor sediments
• pollution
• sources
• Alexandria
• Egypt

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Mr. K. El Nahta, Vice Chairman of the Port of Alexandria Corporation, for providing facilities during sample collection. Technical support by N. Eaker (Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University) is appreciated. A.O.B. is grateful to the Fullbright Foundation for research fellowship. Constructive comments of the Managing Editor, D. Leonard, and other anonymous reviewers are highly appreciated.