Land use Land cover of the Burullus Lake shoreline (Egypt) and health risk assessment of metal-contaminated sediments

Abstract

The mean concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments of Burullus Lake shoreline follow a descending order of Mn > Fe > Zn > Co > Cu > Cd > Ni > Pb > Cr. Where concentrations of Cd indicated that 100% of samples were higher than the limits of SQGs and the reverse to Cr that its concentration is within those limits. The mean probable effect level quotient mPELq and mean effect range median quotient mERMq showed 73 and 76% probability of toxic effects in the south-western side of the Lake. Calculation of HI showed hazard degree for Cd in site 7 and sites 4, 6 and 7 for Co and 4 and 5 for Mn in case of adults. While it represents hazard in all sites for Co and Mn except 2 and 3 for Cd in case of Child. Carcinogenic risk assessment gives an indication that the only expected pathway that may cause carcinogenic impacts to the children in the studied sites is from ingestion, while in adults, the chance of exposure pathways increases. Although the chance of risk is higher to a child than those of adults as expected from the comparison of its range.

Keywords:

• Burullus Lake
• land use/cover
• heavy metals
• pollution
• eco-toxicology