Heavy metal contamination and ecological risk assessment in the surface sediments of the coastal area surrounding the industrial complex of Gabes city, Gulf of Gabes, SE Tunisia

Zrelli, Radhouan El; Courjault‐Radé, Pierre; Rabaoui, Lotfi; Castet, Sylvie; Michel, Sylvain; Bejaoui, Nejla

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.047

Cited by 145 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In the southern localities in the Gulf of Gabès (SF, GA, ZA, and BG), Cd concentrations were the highest among the studied sites. In this area, the major factor behind this metallic pollution is phosphogypsum wastes as showed in several previous works (e.g., Darmoul 1988Darmoul , 1980Darmoul and Vitiello 1980;Kharroubi et al 2012;Ayadi et al 2015;El Zrelli et al 2015). Indeed, high amounts of phosphogypsum are discharged by the phosphate industry in the Gulf of Gabès, being quantified as 11,250 t per day and stretching over big surfaces in the open sea with deleterious effects on biota (Darmoul and Vitiello 1980;Darmoul 1988;Béjaoui et al 2004;Rabaoui et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Bioaccumulation of trace metals in Hexaplex trunculus: spatial and temporal trends from 2004 to 2011 along the Tunisian coast

Lahbib

Mleiki

Menif

2016

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Cd, Zn, Cu, As, Fe, Cr, Ni, Al, and Pb were analyzed in the edible and inedible parts of the muricid gastropod Hexaplex trunculus sampled along the Tunisian coast in 2004, 2007, and 2011. The concentration ranges (μg/g dry weight) in the whole soft tissue were 0.1-19.2 for Cd, 198.7-564.6 for Zn, 31.9-363.1 for Cu, 12.8-177.8 for As, 35.4-179.0 for Fe, 0.0-5.8 for Cr, 0.1-4.6 for Ni, 1.0-41.4 for Al, and 0.0-0.6 for Pb. The highest concentrations were recorded in Gabès for Cd, Menzel Jemil for Zn and Cu, Bizerte channel for As, Zarat for Cr and Pb, and Tunis North Lake for Fe, Al, and Ni. The European standards compiled by FAO for mollusks were exceeded in several localities. The temporal trends revealed a decreasing metal contamination in most sampling stations from 2004 to 2011. The calculated intake of metals (μg/week/kg body weight) through human consumption of the snail edible portion varied from 0.0 to 4.4 of Cd, 55.9 to 172.1 of Zn, 8.7 to 92.7 of Cu, 3.0 to 42.6 of As, 9.5 to 49.1 of Fe, 0.0 to 1.52 of Cr, 0.0 to 1.4 of Ni, and 0.3 to 11.4 of Al. Comparison of these metal intakes with those of the standard provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values stipulated by the WHO recommends precaution in terms of human consumption of this marine snail.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Bioaccumulation of trace metals in Hexaplex trunculus: spatial and temporal trends from 2004 to 2011 along the Tunisian coast

Lahbib

Mleiki

Menif

2016

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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“…In the southern region of the Gulf of Gabes, Cd concentrations were highest among the studied sites. In this area, the major factor behind this metallic pollution by heavy metals is phosphogypsum wastes, as shown in several previous works [61,[64][65][66][67]. Indeed, high amounts of phosphogypsum are discharged by the phosphate industry in the Gulf of Gabes, quantified at 11,250 tons per day and stretching along large surfaces in the open sea with deleterious effects on biota [60,[64][65]68].…”

Section: Origin Of Trace Element Loading In Surface Waters In Three Gmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Zn contamination could be related to phosphogypsum residues generated by the phosphate industry. Indeed, high Zn concentrations in sediments were reported in the outer fishing harbor of Gabes, with values reaching 1,200 μg g -1 dw in July 2010 [61,63] and 7,165 μg g -1 dw during September 2013 in Chatt Essalem, close to the fishing harbor [63,67]. The major sources of Zn are domestic and municipal wastes, followed by dumping and atmospheric deposition [74][75][76].…”

Section: Origin Of Trace Element Loading In Surface Waters In Three Gmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Distribution and Source Identification of Heavy Metals in Surface Waters of Three Coastal Areas of Tunisia

Drira¹,

Sahnoun²,

Ayadi³

2017

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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The concentrations of selected dissolved trace elements (Ni 446-919 µg L -1 , Pb 383-1015, Fe 195-739, Cu 217-318, Cr 156-336, Zn 9-236, Mn 0-187, Co 0-310, and Cd 26-77) were assessed in the surface water of 30 stations belonging to three coastal areas along the Gulf of Gabes, i.e., the southern (stations 1-10) and northern (stations 11-20) coastal areas of Sfax and the Ghannouch area (stations 21-30) during October and November 2014. Results showed that dissolved metals in surface waters, which were analyzed by means of flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, followed the concentration levels (Pb>Ni>Fe>Cu>Cr>Co>Mn>Cd>Zn) on the southern and (Ni>Pb>Fe>Cu>Cr>Zn>Mn>Co>Cd) on the northern coasts of Sfax, and (Ni> Fe>Pb>Cu>Cr>Zn>Co>Cd>Mn) in the Ghannouch area. In the southern and the northern coasts of Sfax, all analyzed metals were detected in 100% of sampled stations except Co, which was revealed in 90 and 80% of stations, respectively. However, in the Ghannouch area all analyzed metals were detected in 100% of sampled stations except Mn, which was revealed in 70% of stations. These trace elements, except for Fe and Mn, exceeded the safety limit of the USEPA water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic fauna and flora survival and their uses. The Sfax and Ghannouch coastal areas should be considered relatively polluted with metals (Zn, Ni, Pb, Co, Cr, Cd, and Cu). The elevated metal contents were attributed to anthropogenic waste inputs around the study area. The main sources of Ni and Co loading in the seawater were the SIAPE phosphoric acid and fertilizer plant and a waste water treatment plant located close to station 1. Whereas the fishing harbor of Sfax, which is situated on the southern coast (station 9), is the second source of high amounts of Cd, Mn, Cr, and Pb. This situation has led to serious human health risks and chronic toxicity caused by their potential bioaccumulation in some aquatic fauna such as shrimp, fish, crab, shellfish, mollusk, and cephalopoda.

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“…Several studies (Aloulou et al, 2012; Ayadi et al, 2014; Chouba and Mzoughi-Aguir, 2006; Darmoul et al, 1980; El Lakhrach et al, 2012; El Zrelli et al, 2015; Hamza and Bradai, 1994; Kharroubi et al, 2012; Rabaoui et al, 2014; Zairi and Rouis, 1999; Zaouali, 1993) show an impact of the phosphate industries on the marine environment: e.g., eutrophication of the basin, decreasing of the biodiversity, siltation of the seafloor, traces of heavy metals in the sediments and the tissues of some macrofauna (e.g., bivalves) and increasing of turbidity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The production of each ton of phosphoric acid generates 5 tons of PG (Zairi and Rouis, 1999). In Gabes, the totality of PG, which contains a high concentration of heavy metals, is directly discharged into the sea and generate a large area of pollution into the Gulf of Gabes (Ayadi et al, 2014; El Zrelli et al, 2015). For Gabes, the production of PG per day is estimated at 112'500 tons (Bejaoui et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlation between pollution and decline of Scleractinian Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Gulf of Gabes

Kateb

Stalder

Neururer

et al. 2016

Heliyon

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During an expedition in 2014 in the Gulf of Gabes that aimed to evaluate the impact of the pollution of the phosphate industry on the marine environment, numerous dead coral fragments were retrieved from several stations along a 18 km long transect in front of the industry complex of Gabes. Detailed taxonomy of these coral fragments shows clearly that all fragments belong to the species Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1758). Quantitative analysis of the coral fragments indicates a positive correlation with stations characterized by positive bathymetric anomalies. We suggest the presence of probable small-scaled (up to 4 m high) biogenic (palaeo-) build-ups composed mainly of coral colonies and bryozoans. Radiocarbon dating of three coral fragments show ages as old as 1897, 1985 and 1986 AD and suggests the presence of living C. caespitosa as close as 6 km to the phosphate treatment industry of Gabes at least until 1986 AD. This latter age coincides with the construction of the ammonium phosphate production plant, in 1979, in the Gulf of Gabes with an increase of the natural phosphate production. The higher impact of pollution on the marine environment in the inner part of the Gulf of Gabes likely induced the decline of C. caespitosa. This is well in agreement with enhanced siltation processes suggested by the sedimentary facies and grain-size analyses presently characterizing the Gulf of Gabes nowadays.

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Heavy metal contamination and ecological risk assessment in the surface sediments of the coastal area surrounding the industrial complex of Gabes city, Gulf of Gabes, SE Tunisia

Cited by 145 publications

References 32 publications

Bioaccumulation of trace metals in Hexaplex trunculus: spatial and temporal trends from 2004 to 2011 along the Tunisian coast

Bioaccumulation of trace metals in Hexaplex trunculus: spatial and temporal trends from 2004 to 2011 along the Tunisian coast

Spatial Distribution and Source Identification of Heavy Metals in Surface Waters of Three Coastal Areas of Tunisia

Correlation between pollution and decline of Scleractinian Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Gulf of Gabes

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