The present study was conducted to assess the possible impacts of human activities and naturally occurring on the marine sediments, to test for anomalous enrichments in metals. A total of 32 marine sediments samples collected from 12 coastal areas of the Egyptian Red Sea analyzed using different analytical techniques. The analysis explored 43 elements for the marine sediments. Principal component analysis and multivariate statistics were implemented on the data. The extent of pollution was quantified for selected 6 pollutants using the geoaccumulation indices (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), metal pollution index (MPI), contamination factor (Cf), and degree of contamination factor (Cd). The associated risk using potential ecological risk factor (PER), and risk index (RI) was calculated. The data was interpolated using ArcGIS technology to construct the spatial distribution maps of the selected 6 pollutants along the coastal areas of the Egyptian Red Sea. The data was normalized and the peak values were observed for Ca (13.6%) >Na (1.9%) > Mg (1.6%) >Br (41.1 ppm). The obtained findings were compared with other local and regional data shows that the metal enrichment in studied areas is in line and anomalous enrichments in metals were not evidenced. Even though out of 12 studied areas 2 areas viz., Sharam El-Bahari in the middle of the coast and downwards to the southern Marsa Hemira area found to have peak values of metals, however still show a good agreement with results with other data. Moderate enriched sediments with Cr were noticed. It could be stated that comparison of the gained data from this study with others clearly indicates that nearly the metal concentrations were in the natural unpolluted sediments range.
Keywords: Contamination indices; ICP-MS; INAA; Major and trace elements; Marine sediments; Red Sea.
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