Abstract
Forty-six soil and groundwater samples were collected from the agricultural farms of the Gulf of Aqaba coast. Additionally, 24 granitic and marine sedimentary rock samples were collected from the study area. The collected samples were analyzed for As, Al, Au, B, Ba, Be, Fe, Sb, Se, Sn, Ti, and V using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Levels of the studied metals in the groundwater samples lie within the acceptable limits of the World Health Organization (WHO). The rock samples exhibit a significant variation in mean metal content from one rock type to another. Concentrations of As and B in the soil samples were determined to be higher than those of Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (CSQG) and were primarily due to agricultural and seawater inputs. Chemical weathering of various rock units also plays a significant role. The calculations of geoaccumulation index are found to be more reliable than of those of enrichment factor for Arsenic contamination levels assessment. The study area is not significantly affected by As contamination. The correlation coefficient analysis results for the soil and groundwater data reveal a variable degree of correlations between As and other metals in the study area.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adriano DC (2001) Trace elements in terrestrial environments. Biogeochemistry bioavailability and risk of metals. Springer, New York
Al-Taani A, Batayneh A, Nazzal Y, Ghrefat H, Elawadi E, Zaman H (2014) Status of trace metals in surface seawater of the Gulf of Aqaba, Saudi Arabia. Mar Pollut Bull 86:582–590
Asante KA, Agusa T, Subramanian A, Ansa-Asare OD, Biney CA, Tanabe S (2007) Contamination status of arsenic and other trace elements in drinking water and residents from Tarkwa, a historic mining township in Ghana. Chemosphere 66:1513–1522
Batayneh A, Ghrefat H, Zaman H, Mogren S, Zumlot T, Elawadi E, Laboun A, Qaisy S (2012a) Assessment of the physicochemical parameters and heavy metals toxicity: application to groundwater quality in unconsolidated shallow aquifer system. Res J Environ Toxicol 6:169–183
Batayneh A, Laboun A, Qaisy S, Ghrefat H, Zumlot T, Zaman H, Elawadi E, Mogren S, Al-Qudah K (2012b) Assessing groundwater quality of the shallow alluvial aquifer system in the Midyan Basin, northwestern Saudi Arabia. Arab Gulf J Sci Res 30:7–13
Bhuiyan MAH, Suruvi NI, Dampare SB, Islam MA, Quraishi SB, Ganyaglo S, Suzuki S (2011) Investigation of the possible sources of heavy metal contamination in lagoon and canal water in the tannery industrial area in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Environ Monit Assess 175:633–649
Bhumbla DK, Keefler RF (1994) Arsenic mobilization and bioavailability in soils. In: Niragu JO (ed) Arsenic in the environment, part I, cycling and characterization. Wiley, New York, pp 51–82
Bowen HJM (1979) Environmental chemistry of the elements. Academic Press, New York
Boyle RW, Jonassan IR (1984) Geochemistry of antimony and its use as an indicator element in geochemical prospecting. J Geochem Explor 20:223–302
Butterwick L, De Oude N, Raymond K (1989) Safety assessment of boron in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 17:339–371
CA-SQG. Soil Quality Guidelines Task Group (SQGTG) (2010) Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines, Canada. http://www.ccme.ca/ourwork/soil.html?category_id=44
Çevik F, Göksu MZ, Derici OB, Fındık O (2009) An assessment of metal pollution in surface sediments of Seyhan dam by using enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index and statistical analyses. Environ Monit Assess 152:309–317
Chen CW, Kao CM, Chen CF, Dong CD (2007) Distribution and accumulation of heavy metals in the sediments of Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan. Chemosphere 66:1431–1440
Christophoridis C, Dedepsidis D, Fytianos K (2009) Occurrence and distribution of selected heavy metals in the surface sediments of Thermaikos Gulf, N. Greece. Assessment using pollution indicators. J Hazard Mater 15:1082–1091
Clark, M (1986) Explanatory notes to the geologic map of the Al Bad Quadrangle, sheet 28A, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian Deputy Ministry for Mineral Resources. Geoscience Map Series GM-81A, C, scale 1:250,000, with text, p 46
Dotsika E, Poutoukis D, Kloppmann W, Raco B, Psomiadis D (2011) Distribution and origin of boron in fresh and thermal waters in different areas of Greece, 2011. Water Secur Mediterr Region NATO Sci Peace Secur Ser C Environ Secur 11:209–228
Dowdle PR, Laverman AM, Oremland RS (1996) Bacterial dissimilatory reduction of arsenic (V) to arsenic (III) in anoxic sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:1664–1669
Edmunds, WM, Cook JM, Kinniburgh DG, Miles DL (1989) Trafford JM. Trace element Occurrence in British Groundwaters. Res. Report SD/89/3, British Geological Survey, Keyworth
Elawadi E, Zaman H, Batayneh A, Mogren S, Laboun A, Ghrefat H, Zumlot T (2013) Structural interpretation of the Ifal Basin in north-western Saudi Arabia from aeromagnetic data: hydrogeological and environmental implications. Explor Geophys 44:251–263
Ergin M, Saydam C, Basturk O, Erdem E, Yoruk R (1991) Heavy metal concentrations in surface sediments from the two coastal inlets (Golden Horn Estuary and Izmit Bay) of the northeastern Sea of Marmara. Chem Geol 91:269–285
Garcia-Sanchez A, Alvarez-Ayuso E (2003) Arsenic in soils and waters and its relation to geology and mining activities (Salamanca Province, Spain). J Geochem Explor 80:69–79
García-Sánchez A, Alonso-Rojo P, Santos-Francés F (2010) Distribution and mobility of arsenic in soils of a mining area (Western Spain). Sci Total Environ 408:4194–4201
Garelick H, Jones H, Dybowska A, Valsami-Jones E (2008) Arsenic pollution sources. Springer, New York, pp 17–60
Ghrefat HA, Abu Rukah Y, Rosen MA (2011) Application of geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor for assessing metal contamination in the sediments of Kafrain Dam, Jordan. Environ Monit Assess 178:95–109
Ghrefat HA, Batayneh A, Zaman H, Zumlot T, Elawadi E, Nazzal Y (2013) Major ion chemistry and weathering processes in the Midyan Basin, northwestern Saudi Arabia. Environ Monit Assess 185:8695–8705
Ghrefat H, Nazzal Y, Batayneh A, Zumlot T, Zaman H, Elawadi E, Qaisy S (2014) Geochemical assessment of groundwater contamination with special emphasizes on fluoride, a case study from Midyan Basin, northwestern Saudi Arabia. Environ Earth Sci 71:1495–1505
Jarvis KE, Gray AL, Houk RS (1991) Handbook of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
Karim RA, Hossain SM, Miah MM, Nehar K, Mubin MSH (2008) Arsenic and heavy metal concentrations in surface soils and vegetables of Feni district in Bangladesh. Environ Monit Assess 145:417–425
Masscheleyn PH, Delaune RD, Patrick WH Jr (1991) Effect of redox potential and pH on arsenic speciation and solubility in a contaminated soil. Environ Sci Technol 25:1414–1419
McGeehan SL, Naylor DV (1994) Sorption and redox transformations of arsenite and arsenate in two flooded soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 58:337–342
Meza-Figueroa D, Maier RM, de la O-Villanueva M, Gómez-Alvarez A, Moreno-Zazueta A, Rivera J, Campillo A, Grandlic C, Anaya R, Palafox-Reyes J (2009) The impact of unconfined mine tailings in residential areas from a mining town in a semi-arid environment: Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico. Chemosphere 77:140–147
Mogren S, Batayneh A, Elawadi E, Al-Bassam A, Ibrahim E, Qaisy S (2011) Aquifer boundaries explored by geoelectrical measurements in the Red Sea coastal plain of Jazan area, southwest Saudi Arabia. Int J Phys Sci 6:3768–3776
Müller G (1981) Die Schwermetallbelstung der sedimente des Neckars und seiner Nebenflusse: eine Bestandsaufnahme. Chem Ztg 105:156–164
Navoni JA, De Pietri D, Olmos V, Gimenez C, Bori Mitre G, de Titto E, Villaamil Lepori EC (2014) Human health risk assessment with spatial analysis: study of a population chronically exposed to arsenic through drinking water from Argentina. Sci Total Environ 499:166–174
Patel KS, Shrivas K, Brandt R, Jakubowski N, Corns W, Hoffmann P (2005) Arsenic contamination in water, soil, sediment and rice of central India. Environ Geochem Health 27:131–145
Rubio B, Nombela MA, Vilas F (2000) Geochemistry of major and trace elements in sediments of the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain). Mar Pollut Bull 40:968–980
Smedley PL, Kinniburg DG (2002) A review of the source, behavior and distribution of arsenic in natural water. Appl Geochem 17:517–568
Smith E, Naidu R, Alston AM (1998) Arsenic in the soil environment. Adv Agron 64:149–195
Solgi E, Esmaili-Sari A, Riyahi-Bahntiari A, Hadipor M (2012) Soil contamination of metals in the three industrial Estates, Arak, Iran. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88:634–638
Tamaki S, Frankenberger WT (1992) Environmental biochemistry of arsenic. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 124:79–110
Tamasi G, Cini R (2004) Heavy metals in drinking waters from Mount Amiata (Tuscany, Italy). Possible risks from arsenic for public health in the Province of Siena. Sci Total Environ 327:41–51
Turekian KK, Wedepohl KH (1961) Distribution of the elements in some major units of the earth’s crust. Geol Soc Am 72:175–192
Welch AH, Westjohn DB, Helsel DR, Wanty RB (2000) Arsenic in groundwater of the United States: occurrence and geochemistry. Ground Water 38:589–604
World Health Organization (WHO) (2008) Guidelines for drinking quality, 3rd edn. WHO, Geneva
Wyn Hughes G, Johnson R (2005) Lithostratigraphy of the Red Sea region. GeoArabia 10:140–159
Yan XP, Kerrich R Hendry, Hendry MJ (2000) Distribution of arsenic (III), arsenic (V) and total inorganic arsenic in porewaters from a thick till and clay-rich aquitard sequence, Saskatchewan, Canada. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64:2637–2648
Yaqin JI, Yinchang F, Jianhi WU, Tan ZHU, Zhipeng B, Chiqing D (2008) Using geoaccumulation index to study source profiles of soil dust in China. J Environ Sci 20:571–578
Zhang J, Liu CL (2002) Riverine composition and estuarine geochemistry of particulate metals in China- Weathering features, anthropogenic impact and chemical fluxes. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 54:1051–1070
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at king Saud University for its funding this Research group No. (RG 1435-008).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ghrefat, H., Waheidi, M.E., Batayneh, A. et al. Pollution assessment of arsenic and other selected elements in the groundwater and soil of the Gulf of Aqaba, Saudi Arabia. Environ Earth Sci 75, 229 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-5020-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-5020-4