title: Heavy metal contamination and ecological risk assessment in the surface sediments of the coastal area surrounding the industrial complex of Gabes city, Gulf of Gabes, SE Tunisia.
abstract: In the present study, the concentrations of 6 trace metals (Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr and Zn) were assessed in the surface sediments of the central coastal area of Gabes Gulf to determine their contamination status, source, spatial distribution and ecological risks. The ranking of metal contents was found to be Zn>Cd>Cr>Pb>Cu>Hg. Correlation analysis indicated that Cd and Zn derived mainly from the Tunisian Chemical Group phosphogypsum. The other pollutants may originate from other industrial wastes. Metallic contamination was detected in the south of chemical complex, especially in the inter-harbor zone, where the ecological risk of surface sediments is the highest, implying potential negative impacts of industrial pollutants. The spatial distribution of pollutants seems to be due to the effect of harbor installations and coastal currents. The metallic pollution status of surface sediments of Gabes Gulf is obvious, very worrying and requires rapid intervention.
authors.affiliation: Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Université de Toulouse, UMR 5563 CNRS/UPS/IRD/CNES, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France.; Institut National Agronomique de Tunis (INAT), Université de Carthage, 43 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis Maharajène, Tunisia.. Electronic address: radhouan.elzrelli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Radhouan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: El Zrelli
authors.affiliation: Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Université de Toulouse, UMR 5563 CNRS/UPS/IRD/CNES, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Courjault-Radé
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Integrative Biology and Evolutionary and Functional Ecology of Aquatic Systems, Faculty of Science of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, University Campus, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.; Marine Studies Section, Center for Environment and Water, - King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rabaoui
authors.affiliation: Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Université de Toulouse, UMR 5563 CNRS/UPS/IRD/CNES, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castet
authors.affiliation: SADEF - Pôle d'Aspach, Rue de la Station, F- 68700 Aspach-le-Bas, France.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.affiliation: Institut National Agronomique de Tunis (INAT), Université de Carthage, 43 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Tunis Maharajène, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Nejla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bejaoui
mesh_terms: D002133:Calcium Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry; D002617:Chemical Industry; D002947:Cities; D004463:Ecology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014416:Tunisia; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C077769:phosphogypsum; D010758:Phosphorus; D002133:Calcium Sulfate
keywords: Ecological risk assessment; Gabes Gulf; Metallic contamination; Phosphogypsum; Sediment quality guidelines