Contamination of Coastal Sediments in El-Hamrawein Harbour, Red Sea, Egypt

This study deals with the environmental problem of increased heavy metals concentrations in the coastal sediments due to preparation and shipment operations of phosphate ore in El-Hamrawein harbour, Egyptian Red Sea coast. It represents a baseline information about the human impacts and could be useful for management and further development of the area Grain size, contents of carbonate, organic matter and phosphorus as well as concentration of some polluting heavy metals were determined in the coastal sediments. The study coastal sediments are mainly fine sand showing high concentration of heavy metals with average 1796, 542, 42.2, 17.8, 38.5, 42.2 and 2.3 ppm for Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni and Cd. The results indicate that the distribution of the heavy metals in the surface sediments is particularly affected by the high contribution of phosphate ore loading operations as shown by the positive correlation between the phosphorous and these metals. It is suggested that the study sediments are relatively contaminated comparing with the other Egyptian Red Sea coastal sediments. The phosphate dust accelerates nutrient level, creating algal development and possible eturophication which detriment of corals and other life forms. Therefore, an environmental monitoring and management program is proposed in the study area.