Tracing contamination status and comprehensive risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in seawater impacted by shipping activities: The Red Sea, Egypt.
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The study appraises potentially toxic elements contamination, risk, and sources in coastal seawater of the Red Sea. Zinc and Cu exceeded the maximum concentration (>90 μg/L) for acute toxicity. Higher elements values were recorded throughout the winter. Seasonal discrepancies in elements concentrations were significant. Water quality index, contamination degree, and pollution load index designated high contamination among most of the explored locations. Chemometric analysis exposed that variations of most of the studied elements were influenced by pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity. Terrestrial inputs have effects on the spatial variations of some elements. Risk quotients (RQ) indicated that Zn had a high risk (RQ > 1). Total hazard quotient HQing for children and adults were < 1 revealing no health risks through ingestion while HQderm for As and Cr were > 1 representing adverse health effects through skin contact. Total cancer risk LCR for Cr, Cd, and As revealed modest cancer risk (1 × 10-4 < CR ≤ 1 × 10-3).