Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine and assess the concentrations of trace metals in surface seawaters and sediments from different coastal habitats of the Red Sea coast of Yemen. Surface seawater and sediment samples were collected, treated and analyzed for cadmium, cobalt, manganese, chromium, lead, iron, nickel, copper, zinc and vanadium by the atomic absorption spectrometric analysis. The concentrations were high for cadmium, cobalt and lead and low or consistent with the natural background concentrations for the rest of the metals. However, the coastal habitats of the Red Sea coast of Yemen are still considered unpolluted, it is concluded that the cadmium cobalt and lead levels in surface seawaters are high and could have negative effects on marine life of the sites. Further studies are needed to characterize the sources fate, biogeochemical processes and impacts of these trace metals on coastal habitats and marine life of the region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdallah MI, Royal LG (1974) A study of dissolved and particulate trace metals in Bristol Channel. Mar Biol Assoc UK 54:581–597
Bewers JM, Yeats PA (1977) Oceanic residence times of trace metals. Nature 268:595–598
Clark RB (1989) Marine pollution, 2nd edn. Oxford Science Publication, New York, p 220
Dekker H, Capelle FGC (1994) Survey of Yemen Red Sea shells collected by TBIA-I expedition, 1993. Dekreukel jrg 3onnrs 7–10:97–147
Dick B (1987) Pollution. In: Edwards AJ, Head SM (eds) The Red Sea. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 383–404
DouAbul AA-Z, Al-Shiwafi HA (1998) Dissolved/dispersed hydrocarbons in Arabian region. Mar Poll Bull 36:844–850
DouAbul AA-Z, Hebba HMA, Fareed KH (1997) Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in fish from the Red Sea coast of Yemen. Hydrobiologia 352:251–262
EPC (Environmental Protection Council) (1996) Beach pollution study Gulf of Aden/Arabian sea “chemical analysis” EPA-Sana’a University, pp 48
Gerlach SA (1976) Marine pollution. Diagnosis and therapy. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 218
Haskoning (1991) Proposal for developing a coastal management plan in the Republic of Yemen. Report by Haskoning (Royal Dutch consulting Engineering and Archeticts). Support to Secretariate of the Environmental Protection Council, Yemen, pp 53
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Natural Resources) (1987a) Yemen Arab Republic: marine conservation survey, vol 1. Distribution of habitats and species along the YAR coastline. IUCN Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environmental Program/TMRU York, UK, pp100
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Natural Resources) (1987b) Yemen Arab Republic: marine conservation survey, vol 2. Distribution of habitats and species along the YAR coastline. IUCN Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environmental Program/TMRU York, UK, Gland Switzerland
Law R (1991) Fishing in evolutionary waters. New Scientist 1758:35–37
Morcos SM (1970) Physican and chemical oceanography of the Red Sea. In: Barnes H (ed) Oceanogr Mar Biol Ann Rev 8:73–202
Morcos SM, Varely D (1990) Physical and chemical oceanography of the Red Sea. Oceanogr Mar Biol Ann Rev 8:73–202
Ormond RFG, Edwards AJ (1987) Red Sea fishes. In: Edwards AJ, Head SM (eds) The Red Sea. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 251–287
Pankow JF (1991) Aquatic chemistry concepts. Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, MI, p 683
Pytkowciz RM (1983) Equilibria, nonequilibria and natural waters. Wiley, New York, p 353
Rushdi AI, Ba-Issa AA, Ba-Bagi A (1991) Preliminary investigations of oil pollution along the Red Sea coast of Yemen. In: Proceedings of the seminar on the status of the environment in the Republic of Yemen, Sana’a January 1–5, 1991
Rushdi AI, Abubakr MM, Hebba HMA (1994) Marine habitats of the Red Sea at AlUrj-Alsalif and Dhubab-Yaktul areas: their ecology, environment and management recommendations preliminary investigations. UN-Faculty of Sciences, Sana’a University, Yemen, p 117
Sheppard CRC (ed) (1992) Marine ecology of the Arabian region. Academic, New York, p 359
Smith JD, Butler ECV, Grant BR, Little GW, Millis N, Milne PJ (1981) Distribution and significance of copper, lead, zinc and cadmium in the Corio Bay ecosystem. Aust J Mar Freshw Res 32:151–164
Stumm W, Morgan JJ (1981) Aquatic chemistry: an introduction emphasizing chemical equilibria in natural waters, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York, p 780
Turner DR, Dickson AG, Whitfield M (1980) Water–rock partition coefficients and the composition of natural water—a reassessment. Mar Chem 9:211–218
Walker D, Ormond RFG (1982) Coral death from sewage and phosphate pollution at Agaba, Red Sea. Mar Poll Bull 13:21–25
Whitfield M (1979) The mean oceanic residence time (MORT) concept—a rationalization. Mar Chem 8:101–123
Wong CS, Kermling K, Riley JP, Johnson WK, Stukas V, Berrang PG, Erickson P, Thomas D, Petersen H, Imber B (1983) An intercomparison of sampling devices and analytical techniques using seawater from CEPEX enclosure. In: Wong CS, Boyle E, Bruland KW, Burton JD, Goldberg ED (eds) Trace metals in seawater, vol 9. Plenum Press, New York, pp 175–194
Acknowledgements
A Rushdi would like to thank Drs. Bob Collier, Jim McManus and Bernd Simoneit for the useful discussion. The constructive suggestions of the anonymous reviewers and the Assistant Editor enhanced the quality of paper and is very much appreciated.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Shiwafi, N., Rushdi, A.I. & Ba-Issa, A. Trace metals in surface seawaters and sediments from various habitats of the Red Sea coast of Yemen. Environ Geol 48, 590–598 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1315-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1315-1