2016). Oligo minerals such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co),
manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), or selenium (Se) are essentials for
normal metabolism in fish (Justino et al. 2016). Heavy metals are considered
toxic not only above specific concentrations but also according to their chemical
speciation (Squadrone et al. 2016). Most organisms tend to accumulate heavy
metals taken in from their habitat or through food (Richardson et al. 2015; Xie
et al. 2013), but many of them seem to be able to remove them by oxidative
mechanisms (Nasyitah Sobihah et al. 2018).
The accumulation of metal traces in the environment threatens public
health through the consumption of contaminated aquatic products (Copat
et al. 2015). They cause disorders in the nervous or digestive system and have
carcinogenic effects (Ravindra and Mor 2019). They also cause an alteration of
telomeres length in leukocytes (Wai et al. 2018).
In the Mediterranean Sea, Sparus aurata and Dicentrachus labrax are
successfully produced in commercial fish farms (Kaya, Söyüt, and Beydemir
2015). Many studies conducted in temperate and Mediterranean regions have
indicated that mariculture mainly impacts water quality and leads to sediment
enrichment (Apostolaki et al. 2009; Farmaki et al. 2014; Zhulay, Reiss, and
Reiss 2015). Previous studies have reported concentrations of heavy metals in
sediments and biota collected from Algerian coasts (Ahmed et al. 2018;
Bachouche et al. 2017; Guendouzi et al. 2020; Ouali, Belabed, and
Chenchouni 2018), but no study has focused on marine aquaculture sediments, and no attempt has been made to trace the sources of heavy metals
accumulated in aquaculture sediments. To our knowledge, this study is being
carried out for the first time in Algeria.
The main goals of this study were therefore to evaluate the heavy metal
content (Cu, Zn, Pb, Fe, and Cd) of sediments collected from different
Algerian maricultural sediment sites. Principal component analysis (PCA) and
hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied to identify the origins and
possible sources of sediment contamination. Furthermore, we used different
indexes to evaluate and classify the sediment quality of the different sites.
Materials and methods
Study area
Azeffoun is a town situated in the province of Tizi Ouzou in northern Algeria.
It borders the Mediterranean Sea and is located 170 km east of Algiers.
Sediment samples were collected at a European bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
and Gilthead bream (Sparus aurata) farm in Azeffoun (36° 56ʹ N; 42° 4ʹ E°)
(Algeria). It is a farm with marine fish farming in the pregrowing and growout
phase, located 2 km from the mixed port (fishing and trading) of Azeffoun,
with an average water depth of 40 m (Figure 1).
2
R. LOUNAS ET AL.
manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), or selenium (Se) are essentials for
normal metabolism in fish (Justino et al. 2016). Heavy metals are considered
toxic not only above specific concentrations but also according to their chemical
speciation (Squadrone et al. 2016). Most organisms tend to accumulate heavy
metals taken in from their habitat or through food (Richardson et al. 2015; Xie
et al. 2013), but many of them seem to be able to remove them by oxidative
mechanisms (Nasyitah Sobihah et al. 2018).
The accumulation of metal traces in the environment threatens public
health through the consumption of contaminated aquatic products (Copat
et al. 2015). They cause disorders in the nervous or digestive system and have
carcinogenic effects (Ravindra and Mor 2019). They also cause an alteration of
telomeres length in leukocytes (Wai et al. 2018).
In the Mediterranean Sea, Sparus aurata and Dicentrachus labrax are
successfully produced in commercial fish farms (Kaya, Söyüt, and Beydemir
2015). Many studies conducted in temperate and Mediterranean regions have
indicated that mariculture mainly impacts water quality and leads to sediment
enrichment (Apostolaki et al. 2009; Farmaki et al. 2014; Zhulay, Reiss, and
Reiss 2015). Previous studies have reported concentrations of heavy metals in
sediments and biota collected from Algerian coasts (Ahmed et al. 2018;
Bachouche et al. 2017; Guendouzi et al. 2020; Ouali, Belabed, and
Chenchouni 2018), but no study has focused on marine aquaculture sediments, and no attempt has been made to trace the sources of heavy metals
accumulated in aquaculture sediments. To our knowledge, this study is being
carried out for the first time in Algeria.
The main goals of this study were therefore to evaluate the heavy metal
content (Cu, Zn, Pb, Fe, and Cd) of sediments collected from different
Algerian maricultural sediment sites. Principal component analysis (PCA) and
hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied to identify the origins and
possible sources of sediment contamination. Furthermore, we used different
indexes to evaluate and classify the sediment quality of the different sites.
Materials and methods
Study area
Azeffoun is a town situated in the province of Tizi Ouzou in northern Algeria.
It borders the Mediterranean Sea and is located 170 km east of Algiers.
Sediment samples were collected at a European bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
and Gilthead bream (Sparus aurata) farm in Azeffoun (36° 56ʹ N; 42° 4ʹ E°)
(Algeria). It is a farm with marine fish farming in the pregrowing and growout
phase, located 2 km from the mixed port (fishing and trading) of Azeffoun,
with an average water depth of 40 m (Figure 1).
2
R. LOUNAS ET AL.