Abstract
Red Sea coastal development has rapidly accelerated in recent decades that has led to a rise in the anthropogenic heavy metal levels in sediments. A total of 80 surficial sediment samples were collected from the shallow waters along the eastern Red Sea coast near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. These samples were collected from three locations, designated as North, Middle and South of Jeddah, to assess the concentrations of six heavy metals: chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb). The results showed that the concentrations (mg/kg) of these metals in the studied sediments follow this order: Pb (77.34 +/- 150.59) > Mn (36.52 +/- 37.72) > Zn (18.02 +/- 23.94) > Cr (9.56 +/- 5.81) > Cu (9.18 +/- 13.67) > Ni (3.68 +/- 4.54). The majority of the polluted sediments were recorded in the Middle and South locations. Pollution and enrichment indices such as Geoaccumulation indices (Igeo), Enrichment Factors (E-f), Contamination Factors (C-f), Pollution Load Indices (PLI), Potential Ecological Risk Indices (PERI) and Potential Toxicity Response Indices (RI) were calculated from the measured metals to establish baselines for the region and assess specific metal enrichments by location along the Jeddah coastline. The Igeo values showed that 30% of the Southern location stations are considered moderately to highly polluted. The Ef for all the studied sediments followed this order: Pb (extremely severe enrichment) > Zn > Cu > Cd > Cr (severe enrichment) > Ni (moderate enrichment).