Benthic foraminifera as bioindicators for the heavy metals in the severely polluted Hurghada Bay, Red Sea coast, Egypt.

ABSTRACT: Twenty-nine sediment samples were collected from the Hurghada Bay, a heavily polluted bay on the Red Sea of Egypt, to inspect the environmental quality status and anthropogenic consequences on benthic foraminifera. Some foraminiferal species showed deformations in their apertures and coiling directions as a response to environmental stresses. In addition, the FoRAM index, an index used for evaluating the growth of coral reefs, indicated a hazard in the proximity of nearshore stations. To elucidate the relationships between the biological response and chemistry of sediments, eight heavy metals concentrations (Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, As, Cr, Ni, and Mn) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometers (ICP-AES). Interestingly, two groups of benthic foraminiferal associati

SUBMITTER: El-Kahawy RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10239395 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature