Invertebrate shells (mollusca, foraminifera) as pollution indicators, Red Sea Coast, Egypt
Journal Article
, Mohamed Youssef, Hashem Madkour, Abbas Mansour, Wedad Alharbi, Atef El-Taher . 2017
Publication Work Type:
article
Publication Online URL:
Magazine \ Newspaper:
Journal of African Earth Sciences.
Volume Number:
133
Pages:
74-85
Publication Abstract:
To assess the degree of pollution and its impact on the environment along the Red Sea Coast, the most
abundant nine species of recent benthic foraminifera and three species of molluscan shells have been
selected for the analysis of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Co, and Cd concentrations. The selected foraminiferal
species are: Textularia agglutinans, Amphispsorus hemprichii, Sorites marginalis, Peneroplis planatus, Borelis
schlumbergeri, Amphistegina lessonii, Ammonia beccarii, Operculina gaimairdi, and Operculinella cumingii.
The selected molluscan shells are: Lambis truncata and Strombus tricornis (gastropods) and Tridacana
gigas (bivalves). The inorganic material analysis of foraminifera and molluscs from the Quseir and Safaga
harbors indicates that foraminifera tests include higher concentrations of heavy metals such as Fe and
Mn than molluscan shells. These results are supported by the black tests of porcelaneous foraminifera
and reflect iron selectivity. The Cd and Pb concentrations in molluscan shells are high in the El Esh Area
because of oil pollution at this site. The Cu, Zn, and Ni concentrations in the studied invertebrates are
high at Quseir Harbor and in the El Esh Area because of the strong influence of terrigenous materials that
are rich in these metals. The heavy metal contamination is mostly attributed to anthropogenic sources.