Heavy metals contamination of the Quaternary coral reefs, Red Sea coast, Egypt

Journal Article

مستخلص المنشور

In order to assess pollutants and impact of
environmental changes along the Egyptian Red Sea coast,
seven recent and Pleistocene coral species have been analyzed
for Zn, Pb, Mn, Fe, Cr, Co, Ni, and Cu. Results show
that the concentration of trace elements in recent coral
skeletons is higher than those of Pleistocene counterpart
except for Mn and Ni. In comparison with recent worldwide
reefs, the present values are less than those of Central
America coast (iron), Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan (lead, copper),
Gulf of Mannar, India (chromium, zinc, manganese), Costa
Rica, Panama (chromium, nickel), North-west coast of
Venezuela and Saudi Arabia (copper). The present values
are higher than those of Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan (iron, zinc,
manganese), Gulf of Mannar, India (lead, cobalt, nickel),
North-west coast of Venezuela (lead, zinc, chromium,
manganese), Australia (copper, nickel, zinc, manganese).
The highest values were recorded in Stylophora pistillata
(iron, lead and copper), Acropora cytherea (cobalt),
Pocillopora verrucosa (zinc) and the lowest concentrations
were recorded in Goniastrea pectinata (iron, chromium,
copper and nickel), Favites pentagona (lead, zinc and
manganese), and Porites lutea (cobalt). The differences in
metals content among the studied species are attributed to
differences in microstructure and microarchitecture.