Trace elements contamination of marine sediments in the Mediterranean Sea: a defining moment for healthy sea

Abstract

The alteration of marine sediments plays a key role in the global health of the seas as consequence of anthropogenic pollution in highly populated coastal areas. This research analyses the concentration and distribution of heavy metals in coastal and marine sediments of the Mediterranean Sea. Research has highlighted that Hg, Ni and Cu are present in very high concentrations in sediments, while Cr, Zn, Cd, Ba and V have slightly more moderate values. Sediment quality guidelines and the pollution indexes (Igeo and Geochemical Signal Type-GST) have been used to evaluate the trace element results, revealing a general trend of decreasing concentrations from the littoral coast to the open sea. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that the chemistry of metals in sediments is mainly regulated by the sequence Cu, Pb, Zn, Ba, and Cr. This study suggests that heavy metals distribution patterns are related to strong pressured tourist areas and management strategies are needed to ensure the health of the Mediterranean Sea.