title: Environmental and ecological risk of heavy metals in the marine sediment from Dakhla Bay, Morocco.
abstract: Heavy metal assessment in Dakhla Bay (Atlantic coast) was carried out using different environmental and ecological indices. Heavy metal concentrations were measured using ICP-AES and were compared with consensus-based sediment quality guidelines. The distribution of heavy metal concentrations varies for the three groups: (i) lead distribution is dominated by its associations with copper and chromium. These elements have the same source, most probably related to anthropogenic activities. (ii) Nickel, zinc and cobalt are associated with aluminium and iron indicating their terrigenous origin (natural content), and (iii) cadmium concentration is related to upwelling currents. This paper systematically studied the distributions and pollution levels of heavy metals in sediment in the coastal areas in Dakhla Bay, which is of scientific significance, to discuss the changing rules and the affecting factors of the harmful heavy metals and can be adopted for reference to other coastal areas.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH), Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Zidane
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hakima
authors.affiliation: LETG-Nantes, UMR 6554, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France. mohamed.maanan@univ-nantes.fr.
authors.forename: Maanan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Marine Biochemistry and Biotechnology Laboratory, University Ibn Tofail, Kenitra, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mouradi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aziza
authors.affiliation: Earth Sciences Department, Faculty of Sciences, University Hassan II Ain Chock, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Maanan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehdi
authors.affiliation: Marine Geosciences Laboratory (URAC 45), Faculty of Sciences, El Jadida, Morocco.
authors.forename: El Barjy
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Meryem
authors.affiliation: Marine Geosciences Laboratory (URAC 45), Faculty of Sciences, El Jadida, Morocco.
authors.forename: Zourarah
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bendahhou
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS-ETE), Université du Québec, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Blais
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jean-Francois
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays; D055669:Ecological and Environmental Phenomena; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D009018:Morocco; D012306:Risk; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Anthropogenic inputs; Dakhla Bay; Ecological risk; Heavy metals; Upwelling