Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Surface Sediments of Hadhramout Coast, Yemen

Hadhramout is considered as the industrial and commercial center for fishing in Yemen. Accordingly, Yemen food security depends highly on maritime products of Hadhramout. Consequently, any severe contamination caused by industrial activities would have direct or indirect negative impact on the sea life and marine environment. Sediments samples were collected from Hadhramout Governorate coastal area Yemen at five locations from Augusts of 2013 until May 2014 for an investigation of heavy metals. The study results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals (Ni, Co, Mn, Cd, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb) in sediments were in range of4.17-20 µg/g, 2.5-11.67 µg/g, 6.67-27.5 µg/g, 0.1-1.67 µg/g, 27.5-1291.7 µg/g, 3.33-7.5 µg/g, 2-8 µg/g, 2.5-8.33 µg/g and 5.83-17.5 µg/g, respectively. Concentrations of these metals in Sediments of coastal area showed seasonal variations during the study period. In this survey compared to standards, high concentrations of parameters were recorded in the seawater of Burum area, Al-Mukalla area, Al-Shaher, Arryidah area and Ras-Sharma. The present study revealed that the different physicochemical parameters of sediments at the investigated locations and the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb in sediments were below the permissible levels while Ni, Mn, Cd, Fe and Pb except Ras-Sharma were higher than the permissible level by CCME and NOAA.