title: Trace element accumulation and elutriate toxicity in surface sediment in northern Tunisia (Tunis Gulf, southern Mediterranean).
abstract: Metal concentrations in sediments were investigated in the Gulf of Tunis, Tunisia, in relation to anthropic activities along the Mejerda River and Ghar El Melh Lagoon, with effluents discharged into the gulf. Distribution of grain size showed that the silty fraction is dominant with 53%, while sand and clay averages are 34 and 12% respectively. Zn concentration increased in the vicinity of the Mejerda River while Pb was at its highest levels at the outlet of Ghar El Mehl Lagoon. Sediment elutriate toxicity, as measured by oyster embryo bioassays, ranged from 10 to 45% abnormalities after 24h, but no relation was found between metal concentration and sediment toxicity. The AVS fraction that represents monosulfide concentrations in the sediment was higher in the central part of the gulf than in the coastal zone. The results reveal the influence of AVS, TOC and grain size on metal speciation and sediment toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Ressources Minérales et Environnement, Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis-El Manar, 2092, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Oueslati
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du Milieu Marin, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Noureddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zaaboub
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du Milieu Marin, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Amine
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Helali
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du Milieu Marin, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Rym
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ennouri
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UERJ, Faculdade de Geologia, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Virgínia Alves
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, La Bouloie, F-25030 Besançon Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dhib
authors.affiliation: IFREMER, LER/CO, Immeuble Agostini, ZI Furiani, 20600 Bastia, France.
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galgani
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du Milieu Marin, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Monia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Bour
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Ressources Minérales et Environnement, Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis-El Manar, 2092, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ayed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Added
authors.affiliation: Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, La Bouloie, F-25030 Besançon Cedex, France. Electronic address: lotfi.aleya@univ-fcomte.fr.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aleya
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014416:Tunisia; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Acid-volatile-sulfide; Bioassays; Marine sediment; Toxicity; Trace metals