# Ecological and human health risks of metal contamination in sediments along Egypt Western Mediterranean coast

## TL;DR

This study assesses metal contamination in sediments along Egypt's Western Mediterranean coast and evaluates its ecological and human health risks.

## Contribution

The study provides a detailed assessment of metal contamination levels and their associated risks in Egyptian Mediterranean coastal sediments.

## Key findings

- Sedi Krrir Station had the highest concentration of potentially hazardous elements at 5890.61 µg/g dry weight.
- Cd levels exceeded sediment quality guideline thresholds, indicating potential ecological risks.
- Children's hazard quotients for cutaneous exposure were 3–4 times higher than those of adults.

## Abstract

The distribution of 24 potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) was examined in sediments gathered from several Mediterranean coastal regions in Egypt. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was used to analyze the samples. The lowest concentration of PHEs was recorded at 2492.95 µg/g at Salloum Station (Ia), whereas Sedi Krrir Station (X) recorded the maximum concentration at 5890.61 µg/g dry weight. The PHEs under investigation can be grouped as follows based on the highest average concentration: Ti > Fe > Al > Cu > Zn > Pb > Co > Mn > Ni > Cd > Cr. Several indicators were used to evaluate the contamination level for PHEs. Pollution indices, such as the enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), and contamination degree (Cd), are determined for the recorded PHE. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to analyze all sediment constituents and determine their sources. To assess the degree of PHE contamination in sediments and identify the overall and specific pollution levels of different components in the sediment, PCA was utilized in conjunction with other pollution indices. According to the human risk assessment results for the PHEs found in the sediments, some of the investigated metals may pose a danger. According to the USEPA’s SQGs (sediment quality guidelines), sediments were categorized as either non-contaminated, moderately polluted, or highly polluted. Furthermore, the studied sediment samples are not contaminated with Cu, Zn, or Ni; nonetheless, Cd levels exceeded the thresholds of both probable effective level (PEL) and effective range medium (ERM). According to the Hazard Quotient (HQ) for cutaneous exposure route data, children’s HQ is 3–4 times that of adults.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-026-39462-y.