الفهرس 
Pollution of environment compartmentsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The present study highlights and evaluate radioactivity levels of 238U,
232Th and 40K, radiological hazard indices, physiochemical characteristics
of seawater and concentration of heavy elements in soil, plants, shore
sediment samples, and algae samples collected along and around the
coastline of Aqaba and Suez Gulfs from 54 sampling points during 2016.
Measurements of the activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K Bq/kg
(in dry weight) of the collected samples were carried out using gamma ray
spectrometry based on a high-pure germanium coaxial detector (HPGe).
Heavy Metals in seawater, shore sediment, and algae samples were
determined using ICP-OEs. The mean activities for 238U, 232Th and 40K
were found to be within the average international radioactivity levels
which are 35, 35,5 and 370 Bq/kg. The results for the measurements of
natural radioactivity revealed that the mean average of absorbed dose rate
(D), annual effective dose rate (mSvy-1), radium equivalent (Raeq),
external and internal hazard indices (Hex, Hin) and cancer risk were
calculated and compared with the worldwide averages. The recorded and
calculated values were lower than the acceptable limits published in the
different localities around the world. TF of 238U, 232Th and 40K were
calculated for algae samples collected from some sites. The average values
of TF were 0.19, 0.13, and 2.65 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The
TF for 40K was greater than unity, which means that 40K was bio
accumulated in algae and available in marine environment.
The investigations of the physicochemical properties of the surface water
indicated that there no significant change was observed in the water
temperature, TDS, salinity, pH levels and well-oxygenated seawater. The
heavy metals concentrations comparison among the two Gulfs reflects that
the northern parts contains the high levels of these metals compared to the
southern ones revealing that the northern parts of the two Gulf were more
affected by human impacts compared to the southern area. The
concentrations of the heavy metals in the northern and southern Suez Gulf
followed the following order: Fe > Mn > Zn > Al > B > Co > Ni > Pb > V
> Cr > Mo > Cu > Cd. The results indicated that the algae were
characterized by having the highest properties of aluminum, lead, nickel
and vanadium. The aluminum concentrations in the collected samples
were higher than any other elements investigated and it seems that the
brown algae had the highest concentration of aluminum. The results
suggest that the majority of the Egyptian coast of Aqaba Gulf is not
polluted or seriously affected by human activities in spite of rapid
recreational and residential developments in the area during the past
period compared with Suez Gulf.
Therefore, for Suez Gulf it is highly recommended that the coastal and
marine pollution from fertilizer and chemical industries in Suez area
should be prevented. Industrial discharges, especially from fertilizers and
chemical industries, on a regular basis, should be monitored, to ensure
their compliance with local standards, and the criteria set for effluent
discharge into the marine environment