Abstract
Sand samples were collected from four beaches near a cement factory in Ras Baridi, north of Yanbu, which hosts the largest green turtle rookery in Saudi Arabia. Heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Pb, Fe, Cr, Ni, Se, Sb, As, and Cu) were measured at three different depths. For most elements, there were no significant differences in concentrations among depths; however, significant differences were found among the nesting beaches in Ras Baridi, which were likely influenced by the wind direction from the factory. Fe, Cr, Cu, and Ni had elevated contamination factor values, suggesting that the nesting beaches downwind and adjacent to the cement factory contained moderately contaminated sand. Given the possibility of heavy metals being absorbed through eggshells, there is a potential risk of heavy metal contamination in clutches laid in Ras Baridi. The rising threat to the local ecology in Saudi Arabia due to recent coastal developments for tourism projects highlights the importance of monitoring heavy metal concentrations over time.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Article number | 450 |
Journal | Environmental Monitoring and Assessment |
Volume | 194 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) through baseline funding to MLB.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
Keywords
- Cement pollution
- Endangered species
- Environmental assessment
- Red Sea
- Sand contamination
- Turtle nesting threats
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Environmental Science
- Pollution
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law