Heavy metals exchange among the aquatic environment in the Mediterranean coast of Egypt

Abstract

The deposition of some heavy metals (Fe, CU Zn, Co, Ni, Cd and Pb), as an inorganic contaminant is described for two sites in the southeastern Mediterranean waters namely El-Mex Bay and Baltim zone. The concentration of heavy metals were studied in water, suspended matter, surficial sediments and the shells and soft tissues of bivalve mollusc, Venerupis decussata decussata L. to compare the influence of anthropogenic effect on the aquatic systems. The metal contents of the different environmental compartments in El-Mex zone were found to increase by several times compared to that recorded in Baltim region which is subjected to pronounced coastal erosion. The essential heavy metals (Fe, Cu and in) were found to be more concentrated in the soft parts, and were inversely related to size, (P<0.05) without gender. Pb, Cd, Co and Ni were more concentrated in the shells by factors of 16 4.2, 6.06 and 1.56 respectively. So shells may act for the removal of these metals (particularly Pb) from the surrounding medium. The concentration of some metals in El-Mex Bay showed an obvious increase with time. The increased concentration of some metals was found to affect growth and condition index in Venerupis.