Lead and Associated Micropollutant Propagations in the North Suez Gulf, Egypt

Abstract: It is well known that the Suez Gulf is considered the heavily polluted area in the Red Sea and Suez Bay is the worst region due to the huge projects established along the north Suez Gulf region. These projects include diverse industrial activities for future economic development such as oil refineries, power stations, fertilizer and chemical industry, steel factory, pipelines, marinas and huge commercial harbors, touristic villages, vegetable and edible oil industries, ceramics, shipyard, cement, and fiberglass. The rapid development of these industries has considerably changed the ecosystems of this region. The occurrence of micropollutants in the Suez Gulf environmental compartments has become an annoying issue of increasing environmental concern. The discharge of hazardous effluent is a major pathway for the introduction and spread of micropollutants in this region. As micropollutants were released, a better understanding and modeling of their fate is essential for effectively predicting their impacts on the receiving environment. The micropollutant concentrations were surveyed in many publications to examine and combine their potential toxicity in the diverse north Suez Gulf ecological compartments. Also, Fe, Pb and hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) detected in four composite sediments samples which collected randomly from northwestern Suez Gulf coastal plain. The results indicated that the Fe concentrations were 2220.34, 4317.58, 6124.67 and 8923.91 mg/kg and Pb concentrations were 399.95, 123.93, 68.74 and 0 mg/kg, whereas HOCs [in the form of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)] concentrations were 4.54, 4.78, 2.83 and 2.44 wt% around the point 29°57′33″N and 32°30′40″E. Because the environmental quality control and pollution decline activities are the main constituents for economic development and resources utilization programs, which follow strict environmental quality management. This work provides the occurrence of micropollutants in various north Suez Gulf ecosystems, including surface water, groundwater, sediments, and marine biota. Also, offers conceptual models to clarify the factors causes the widespread and environmental exposures of micropollutants in this region.