International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No.23, 214-228
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Figure 3 Leachable heavy metals concentrations in fine sediments (Ø3, Ø4 and Ø5) with references to the lowest effect level (LEL)
and the sever effect level (SEL) at different stations of the Red Sea ports
The significantly high concentrations of Zn, Cu and Pb at Hurghada shipyard were not surprised, since this area
serves the activities of ships maintenance and repairing in Hurghada. High amounts of Zn and Cu are continuously
dumped to surface sediments from scraped antifouling paints. It is also believed that, considerable amounts of Pb
released from accidental oil spill and seeping of fuel during ships maintenance and from mooring boats (Madkour
and Dar, 2007). Cu showed significantly (p<0.05) higher levels in the mud sediments (Ø5 fraction). Similar result
was observed by El-Said and Youssef (2013) in mangrove sediments of the Red Sea. Among 6 studied metals,
they found that Cu showed distinctive high levels in Ø5 relative to the other fractions. Regarding the SQGs,
Figure 3 shows the leachable metals rates between LEL and SEL at the different stations. Cu concentrations in all
stations exceeded the values of LEL (16 µg/g) and only at the shipyard was exceeded the value of SEL (110 µg/g),
meanwhile the recorded concentrations of Zn and Pb in all ports were below LEL (120 and 31 µg/g, respectively)
except the shipyard, which were exceeded the guidelines (76.2±5.7 to 330.4±11.5 µg/g for Zn and 50.6±5.8 to
101±4.9 µg/g for Pb). On the other hand, the contamination status of Cu, Zn and Pb was much higher than the
Trade Harbours of South Korea (Choi et al., 2012) and lower than those recorded in Port Kemblaharbour,
Australia (He and Morrison, 2001), Sydney Harbour (Irvine and Birch, 1998), Kaohsiung Harbour (Chen et al.,
2007) and Hamilton Harbour (Poulton et al., 1996) (Table 2).
