Geographical Information System Analysis for Sediments, Heavy Metals and Pesticides in Abu-Qir Bay, Egypt

• Published in: Journal of coastal research Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 1233 - 1237
• Main Authors: S. Nasr, M. El-Raey, H. Ezzat, Ibrahim, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS Coastal Education and Research Foundation (CERF) 01-09-1997; Coastal Education and Research Foundation
• Subjects: Cadmium; Copper; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Geographic information systems; Heavy metals; Marine; Ocean pollution; Pesticides; Pollution, environment geology; Research universities; Sediment contamination; Sediments; Mediterranean Sea; Africa; Egypt; MED, Egypt, Arab Rep., Nile Delta, Abu-Qir Bay; Cadmium; Marine sediments; Pesticides; metals; Iron; Environmental management; Remote sensing; Coastal zone; Heavy metal; Spatial distribution; Surveillance; DDT; Geographic information system; Chemical concentration; Water pollution; Copper; Seawater
• ISSN: 0749-0208; 1551-5036

A geographical information system (GIS) is used to relate sediment distributions to heavy metal concentrations and pesticides, to detect if they are related physically to sediments or they are affected mainly in their distributions by the discharge from land. Vector maps depicting distributions of bottom sediment. Copper, Iron, Cadmium and DDT, α-BHC and Lindane residues in water, are converted to raster format ($5548 m^2$grid cells). The procedure employed can be applied to other environmental management tasks. Direct spatial correspondence between bottom muddy sediments and high concentrations of the three heavy metals studied, is detected. High concentrations of copper and iron indicate relationship to industrial sources in the western sector of the bay. No spatial correspondence is present between bottom sediments and pesticides.