Worst case scenario for chronic mixed ecotoxicity, assessment of ecological and human health risks from contaminants in an important economic harbor connected to the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt.
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This study is a preliminary assessment of the worst-case scenario of chronic cumulative toxicity of pollutants to marine life in Abu-Qir Bay, Egypt. In addition, human health risks from ingestion, ingestion during swimming, and dermal contact with contaminants were evaluated for children, females and males. Five heavy metals, thirteen polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), twenty pesticides (OCPs) and five polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in the seawater column and sediments. The average cumulative pollution indices, including the Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI: 3.44 ± 0.24) and the Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI: 0.46 ± 0.04), reflected low impacts of heavy metal pollution in seawater, while the Mean Effect Range Medium Quotient (mERMQ: 0.123 ± 0.024) demonstrated low-moderate potential adverse biological effects in sediments. Among PAHs, Benzo[a]pyrene was the most abundant in the seawater (56.0 ng/L). Individual chronic RQSpecies(MEC/PNEC) (>1) values revealed high ecotoxicological sensitivity of invertebrates to Hg, Pb, and PAHs (Pyrene and Anthracene), fish to Pb, Cr, Hg, Cd, and PAHs (Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Fluoranthene, and Benzo[a]pyrene), and algae to Benzo[a]pyrene in sediments. The worst-case scenario of chronic ecotoxicity of a mixture of pollutants was evaluated by using Risk Quotients based on Predicted no Effect Concentration (RQMixture (MEC/PNEC)), Sum of Toxic Units (RQMixture(STU)), Relative Contribution (mixture RC) and %STU to algae, invertebrates and fish along the seawater and sediments in the study area. RQMixture (MEC/PNEC) and (mixture RC) values reflected that invertebrates were the most sensitive species to the pollutant mixture in seawater, while algae were the most sensitive species in sediments. In general, non-cancer and carcinogenic health risks to humans from exposure to a mixture of pollutants have not been shown to have any harmful effects, with the exception of chromium in seawater for children. Hazard Ratio (HR) values for children, females and males also demonstrated the potential carcinogenic effects of OCPs in seawater.