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Trace Metals in Algae and Sediments from the North-Eastern Tunisian Lagoons

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Abstract

The mean concentrations of copper, zinc, plomb, nickel and chrome were determined in algae and sediments collected from three aquatic areas of the Tunisian North-East (Sebkhet Sijoumi and Radès and Bizerte lagoon). The recorded metal levels, ranging (in μg g−1) from 1.58 to 68.56 for macroalgae and from 8.70 to 234.40 for sediment samples, were low in most of the sampling locations and similar to those of sites qualified as «slightly polluted». However, certain locations showed significant differences with the remaining sites indicating some degree of contamination (ANOVA, p < 0.001). These locations were found in Sebkhet Radès and Bizerte lagoon for copper, zinc, nickel and chrome metals and in Sebkhet Sijoumi for plomb in algae. The study of the correlation between metal contents in algae and sediments showed highly significant positive values for zinc and plomb (p < 0.01). A significant correlation was also noticed for Cr (p < 0.05). However, there was no clear relationship between copper and nickel levels in both matrices.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique et Electrochimie, Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, 2092, Campus Universitaire, 18, Rue Ibrahim Ibn El Aghleb, El Menzah 4, 1004, Tunis, Tunisie

    M. El Ati Hellal & M. Dachraoui

  2. Département de Chimie, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées et de Technologie, B.P. 676—1080, Tunis cedex, Tunisie

    Fayçal Hellal

  3. Institut de Biotechnologie de Sidi Thabet, Tunis, Tunisie

    Z. El Khemissi

  4. Laboratoire de Minéralogie, Institut National de Recherche et d’Analyses Physico-chimique, Tunis, Tunisie

    R. Jebali

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  1. M. El Ati Hellal
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  2. Fayçal Hellal
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  3. Z. El Khemissi
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  4. R. Jebali
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  5. M. Dachraoui
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Correspondence to M. El Ati Hellal.

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El Ati Hellal, M., Hellal, F., El Khemissi, Z. et al. Trace Metals in Algae and Sediments from the North-Eastern Tunisian Lagoons. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86, 194–198 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-0175-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-0175-x

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