Environmental Pollution by Heavy Metals in the Aquatic Ecosystems of Egypt

Abstract

Contamination with heavy metals is one of the most serious problems in the aquatic environments. In Egypt, Environmental pollution with heavy metals is one of the biggest problems that face human being. Metals are natural trace components of the aquatic environment, but their levels have been increased due to industrial wastes, geochemical structure, agricultural and mining activities. There are certain heavy metals such as As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn are common pollutants and came from different natural and anthropogenic sources. Metals are partitioned among the various aquatic environmental compartments (water, suspended solids, sediments and biota) and can occur in dissolved, particulates or complex form. Metals have been reported to affect cellular organelles and induced toxicity & carcinogenicity. The aim of this review is to provide up to date information about metals pollution status, sources, distribution in seawater, sediments in aquatic biota in Egypt and to explore potential ecological risk index methods for heavy metals in sediments