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Marine Pollution Bulletin
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul
Levels and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments of
fishing grounds along Algerian coast
Inal Ahmed
a,b, ⁎
, Boulahdid Mostefa
a , Angelleti Bernard
c , Radakovitch Olivier
c,d
a Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l'Aménagement du Littoral, (ENSSMAL), BP19, Campus universitaire de Dely Ibrahim, Bois des Cars, Alger,
Algeria
b Centre National de Recherche et de Développement de la Pêche et d'Aquaculture, (CNRDPA), 11, Bd Colonel Amirouche, PO Box 67, Bou-Ismaïl, 42415, Tipaza, Algeria
c Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France, CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France
d Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, BP3, 13115 Saint-Paul-Lez- Durance, France
A R T I C L E I N F O
Keywords:
Ecological risk assessment
Trace metals
Sediment
Fishing grounds
Algerian coast
A B S T R A C T
The level and the ecological risk assessment of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cr, V, As, Pb, Cd and Co) were
evaluated in surface sediments from fifty-one stations along the Algerian coast. The main objective was to
evaluate the risk that such metals may cause to the ecosystem, and thus the stations were choose in relation with
the fishing trawlable areas of Algeria. The usual chemical indexes Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment
factor (EF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) as well as potential ecological risk index reveal that the metal pollution along this coast is low, and is only related to As contents. Nevertheless, the concentrations of Ni, Cr and As
exceed their respective ERL values (Effect range low) usually applied for Sediment Quality Guideline. However,
Cr and Ni are mainly natural and cannot be related to anthropogenic inputs and their ecotoxicological levels as
to be questioned.
1. Introduction
Heavy metals are one of the most important pollutants in our environment due to their bioconcentration and their various form of
toxicity (Liu et al., 2003; Gonzalez- Macias et al., 2006; Fang and Hong,
1999; Klavins et al., 2000; Tam and Wong, 2000; Yuan et al., 2004;
Chakraborty et al., 2014). Because of their numerous anthropogenic
uses and their persistence, they represent a risk at long-term scale in
many areas of the world.
In the coastal environments, marine sediments have often been regarded as the ultimate reservoir for trace metals issued from anthropic
inputs (Sin et al., 2001; Santos et al., 2005), because most of these
metals are effectively adsorbed onto the surface of the mineral phases.
Sediments play thus an important role in the transport and storage of
potentially hazardous metals (Guevara et al., 2005; Masson et al.,
2006), but in the same time they constitute the habitat necessary for
aquatic organisms to grow, evolve and establish in the ecological
system. Furthermore, they may also constitute a secondary source of
pollution if the sediment is resuspended (Kalnejais et al., 2010) or
through the releasing of non-residual or dynamic metal complexes
(Chakraborty et al., 2012). Therefore, sediment contamination is a
parameter used for the prediction of potential ecological risks in aquatic
systems.
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution and the subsequent
increase of industrial development, very large amounts of toxic pollutants have been discharged into coastal environments and estuaries,
contaminating marine sediments with metals (Farmer, 1991; Liu et al.,
2003; Perkins et al., 1973, Durrieu de Madron and MERMEX group,
2011). Local contaminations are thus usual and can be due to several
factors including pipeline construction, wastewater treatment and disposal, runoff, mining, industrial activities, ports, urban development
(Balls et al., 1997; Morton and Blackmore, 2001; Nriagu, 1996; Taylor
and McLennan, 1995; Zingde et al., 1988). Rivers are also a major
source of particulate metals to the continental shelves (Roussiez et al.,
2006; Radakovitch et al., 2008).
Like in many developing countries, the Algerian coastal zone has
experienced severe deterioration as a result of growing population and
industrialization. Great industrially settlements in some areas (Skikda,
Arzew, Algiers and Annaba) have been discharging their solid and liquid wastes into the sea directly or after a limited treatment. The
maritime traffic and untreated domestic discharges from 16 million
inhabitants along the Algerian coast are other factors influencing sea
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.09.029
Received 5 April 2018; Received in revised form 15 September 2018; Accepted 17 September 2018
⁎ Corresponding author at: Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l'Aménagement du Littoral, (ENSSMAL), BP19, Campus universitaire de Dely
Ibrahim, Bois des Cars, Alger, Algeria.
E-mail address: a.inal@enssmal.dz (I. Ahmed).
Marine Pollution Bulletin 136 (2018) 322–333
0025-326X/ © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
T
Marine Pollution Bulletin
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul
Levels and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments of
fishing grounds along Algerian coast
Inal Ahmed
a,b, ⁎
, Boulahdid Mostefa
a , Angelleti Bernard
c , Radakovitch Olivier
c,d
a Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l'Aménagement du Littoral, (ENSSMAL), BP19, Campus universitaire de Dely Ibrahim, Bois des Cars, Alger,
Algeria
b Centre National de Recherche et de Développement de la Pêche et d'Aquaculture, (CNRDPA), 11, Bd Colonel Amirouche, PO Box 67, Bou-Ismaïl, 42415, Tipaza, Algeria
c Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France, CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France
d Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, BP3, 13115 Saint-Paul-Lez- Durance, France
A R T I C L E I N F O
Keywords:
Ecological risk assessment
Trace metals
Sediment
Fishing grounds
Algerian coast
A B S T R A C T
The level and the ecological risk assessment of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cr, V, As, Pb, Cd and Co) were
evaluated in surface sediments from fifty-one stations along the Algerian coast. The main objective was to
evaluate the risk that such metals may cause to the ecosystem, and thus the stations were choose in relation with
the fishing trawlable areas of Algeria. The usual chemical indexes Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment
factor (EF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) as well as potential ecological risk index reveal that the metal pollution along this coast is low, and is only related to As contents. Nevertheless, the concentrations of Ni, Cr and As
exceed their respective ERL values (Effect range low) usually applied for Sediment Quality Guideline. However,
Cr and Ni are mainly natural and cannot be related to anthropogenic inputs and their ecotoxicological levels as
to be questioned.
1. Introduction
Heavy metals are one of the most important pollutants in our environment due to their bioconcentration and their various form of
toxicity (Liu et al., 2003; Gonzalez- Macias et al., 2006; Fang and Hong,
1999; Klavins et al., 2000; Tam and Wong, 2000; Yuan et al., 2004;
Chakraborty et al., 2014). Because of their numerous anthropogenic
uses and their persistence, they represent a risk at long-term scale in
many areas of the world.
In the coastal environments, marine sediments have often been regarded as the ultimate reservoir for trace metals issued from anthropic
inputs (Sin et al., 2001; Santos et al., 2005), because most of these
metals are effectively adsorbed onto the surface of the mineral phases.
Sediments play thus an important role in the transport and storage of
potentially hazardous metals (Guevara et al., 2005; Masson et al.,
2006), but in the same time they constitute the habitat necessary for
aquatic organisms to grow, evolve and establish in the ecological
system. Furthermore, they may also constitute a secondary source of
pollution if the sediment is resuspended (Kalnejais et al., 2010) or
through the releasing of non-residual or dynamic metal complexes
(Chakraborty et al., 2012). Therefore, sediment contamination is a
parameter used for the prediction of potential ecological risks in aquatic
systems.
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution and the subsequent
increase of industrial development, very large amounts of toxic pollutants have been discharged into coastal environments and estuaries,
contaminating marine sediments with metals (Farmer, 1991; Liu et al.,
2003; Perkins et al., 1973, Durrieu de Madron and MERMEX group,
2011). Local contaminations are thus usual and can be due to several
factors including pipeline construction, wastewater treatment and disposal, runoff, mining, industrial activities, ports, urban development
(Balls et al., 1997; Morton and Blackmore, 2001; Nriagu, 1996; Taylor
and McLennan, 1995; Zingde et al., 1988). Rivers are also a major
source of particulate metals to the continental shelves (Roussiez et al.,
2006; Radakovitch et al., 2008).
Like in many developing countries, the Algerian coastal zone has
experienced severe deterioration as a result of growing population and
industrialization. Great industrially settlements in some areas (Skikda,
Arzew, Algiers and Annaba) have been discharging their solid and liquid wastes into the sea directly or after a limited treatment. The
maritime traffic and untreated domestic discharges from 16 million
inhabitants along the Algerian coast are other factors influencing sea
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.09.029
Received 5 April 2018; Received in revised form 15 September 2018; Accepted 17 September 2018
⁎ Corresponding author at: Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l'Aménagement du Littoral, (ENSSMAL), BP19, Campus universitaire de Dely
Ibrahim, Bois des Cars, Alger, Algeria.
E-mail address: a.inal@enssmal.dz (I. Ahmed).
Marine Pollution Bulletin 136 (2018) 322–333
0025-326X/ © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
T