Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Bottom Sediments of the Arabian Gulf, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Thirty two bottom sediment samples were collected from four different areas from Arabian Gulf, United Arab Emirates. These areas include: (a) Dubai, (b) Sharjah, (c) Ajman, and (d) Ras Al-Khaimah. The present study focuses on the levels of copper, lead, iron, manganese nickel, cadmium, zinc and vanadium in order to assess the extent of environmental pollution and to discuss the origin of these contaminants in sediments. Positive correlations are found between increase of heavy metals concentration and decrease of grain size. It is well established that heavy metals tend to be concentrated in the finer grain sizes of bottom sediments of the studied areas. Some large size grain sediments show high heavy metals concentrations due to formation of large agglomerates from the smaller particles enriched by contaminations. The concentrations of copper, zinc, lead, iron, manganese, nickel, cadmium, and vanadium are varied between 5.05, 10.15, 2.82, 3230, 119.0, 16.92, 0.105, and 11.04 µg/g, respectively, which are within the permission levels. This means that the samples containing these metals were derived from nonpollutant sources.

Trace Metals Contamination of Bottom Sediments of Abu Dhabi Area, UAE

“…Table III gives a summary of the concentrations recorded in unpolluted sediments as guidelines for the natural background levels (upper limits) in the dry, siltclay fraction of unpolluted bottom sediments in the Arabian region (northeastern Kuwait, Saudi Arabian, Iran, Bahrain, Qatar and UAE) in the comparison to the results from the studied area. The average values of the trace elements in the Arabian Gulf were calculated [13,14] and compared with the results obtained in the present study of the bottom sediments in the offshore areas of the UAE (Fig. 4).…”

Gold and Silver Content of Plant Helichrysum Arenarium, Popularly Known as the Golden Flower, Growing in Gümüşhane, NE Turkey

“…For this purpose, a number of exploration methods, such as general geochemical prospecting, water-stream sediment-soil-rock prospecting, geophysical prospecting, and exportation drilling are used to elucidate anomalous zones in the regolith above buried mineralization. Biogeochemical prospecting is also one of the exploration techniques, which can be cheaper and also effective, especially in areas with moderate topographic relief [1][2]. This prospecting technique involves the sampling and chemical analysis of plant or tree tissues to obtain information about the underlying substrate [3][4].…”