Distribution of heavy metals in the coastal area of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates

Saeed Al Rashdi; Alya A Arabi; Fares M Howari; Abdi Siad

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.05.052

Distribution of heavy metals in the coastal area of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates

Mar Pollut Bull. 2015 Aug 15;97(1-2):494-498. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.05.052. Epub 2015 Jun 13.

Authors

Saeed Al Rashdi¹, Alya A Arabi², Fares M Howari³, Abdi Siad¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Earth Science, University of Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
² Department of Natural Science & Public Health, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address: alya.arabi@zu.ac.ae.
³ Department of Natural Science & Public Health, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

PMID: 26081249
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.05.052

Abstract

Fifty-seven sediment samples were collected from Abu Dhabi coastal area, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The concentrations of heavy metals including antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, cobalt, copper, mercury, lead, molybdenum, nickel and zinc were obtained using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence. Heavy metal contaminations in Abu Dhabi had increased since 2004. Nevertheless, the enrichment factors, geoaccumulation indices and the pollution load index of 0.3 showed no pollution with any of the measured metals except arsenic.

Keywords: Abu Dhabi coastal area in the United Arab Emirates; Enrichment factor; Geoaccumulation index; Heavy metals contamination; Pollution load index; Sediments.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Environmental Monitoring / methods*
Environmental Restoration and Remediation / methods*
Geologic Sediments / chemistry*
Metals, Heavy / analysis*
United Arab Emirates
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Water Pollutants, Chemical