A novel approach to assess temporal baseline levels of trace metal contamination in the mussel M. galloprovincialis in the Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Seas.

This study reports, for the first time, the baseline levels for fifteen trace metals in M. galloprovincialis tissue from around the Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Seas. The environmental quality in the surrounding seawater was assessed i.e., a mussel farm was investigated by using CF and DC indices, and the water quality was qualified as good for the aquacultural activities. A strong Cu-regulation in the transplanted mussels was observed and it ranged between 3.20 and 3.60 µg/g d.w. The highest bioavailability and bioconcentration of the particulate Fe fraction could present a health risk to consumers with a low risk level (1 < THQ < 9.9). Cr is considered the limiting metal for mussel consumption (< 2 kg/day). The metal contamination gradient was assessed using TEPI and TESVI indices that identified seven reference stations on the large scale and revealed that Cd is the most investigated metal in the literature databases, and found that Pb was the most bioavailable contaminant in the areas examined.

Trace metal and TBT pollution in the Gulf and Oman: spatial variation and hot spots.

This review assesses trace metal concentrations in nearshore and offshore bottom sediments in the Arabian Gulf and Oman focusing particularly on targeted monitoring studies of point sources of contamination near industrial zones (sometimes with ports) and desalination and power plants (often co-located). Concerns have been raised about harmful impacts from accumulation of metals in the semi-enclosed Gulf. The sediment trace metal contaminants of the greatest concern are highlighted with maximum levels of toxic trace metals such as As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, Zn, and TBT recorded near port and ship repair yards/dry docks as well as industrial and power/desalination plant discharge outfalls. The levels of metals such as Cd, Pb, and Hg exceeding sediment quality guidelines at identified hot spots are of concern. Efforts to mitigate future impacts are recommended.

Microplastics (MPs) in marine food chains: Is it a food safety issue?

The enormous usage of plastic over the last seven decades has resulted in a massive quantity of plastic waste, much of it eventually breaking down into microplastic (MP) and nano plastic (NP). The MPs and NPs are regarded as emerging pollutants of serious concern. Both MPs and NPs can have a primary or secondary origin. Their ubiquitous presence and ability to sorb, desorb, and leach chemicals have raised concern over their presence in the aquatic environment and, particularly, the marine food chain. MPs and NPs are also considered vectors for pollutant transfer along with the marine food chain, and people who consume seafood have began significant concerns about the toxicity of seafood. The exact consequences and risk of MP exposure to marine foods are largely unknown and should be a priority research area. Although several studies have documented an effective clearance mechanism by defecation, significant aspect has been less emphasized for MPs and NPs and their capability to translocate in organs and clearance is not well established. The technological limitations to study these ultra-fine MPs are another challenge to be addressed. Therefore, this chapter discusses the recent findings of MPs in different marine food chains, their translocation and accumulations potential, MPs as a critical vector for pollutant transfer, toxicology impact, cycling in the marine environment and seafood safety. Besides, the concerns and challenges that are overshadowed by findings for the significance of MPs were covered.

Sediment pollution: An assessment of anthropogenic and geogenic trace element contributions along the central Algerian coast.

Sediment cores from the central Algerian coast were collected to investigate the distribution, sources and risk of trace metals. The local geochemical background of metals was defined from the core S collected in an uncontaminated area of the coast. The anthropogenic inputs in Algiers Bay elevated Ag, Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations as their maximum were 3.1, 3, 2.1 and 1.8 times the background values, respectively. Meanwhile, increased contents of Arsenic (up to 21.1 mg/kg) were detected in all sites. Correlations and PCA suggest that lithogenic sources controlled metal deposition, while most sediment arsenic was agriculture-derived. Organic matter acted as a sink or source for some trace metals. According to EFs, the study area showed slight to moderate enrichment with respect to Ag, As, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu, whereas they remained uncontaminated with Cr, V, Co and Ni. This study provides a needed baseline for future environmental investigations.

Occurrence, contamination level and ecological risk assessment of dissolved and particulate trace elements in rivers entering the southwestern Mediterranean Sea.

Metal pollution in rivers should not be overlooked before their entry into the sea. However, there are few studies for estimating such contamination in rivers entering the Algerian coastal waters. Semimonthly quantification of dissolved and particulate metals, near the mouths of two industrial-tainted rivers, El Harrach and Mazafran rivers, was carried out during a period of one year. All the trace metals analyzed are originating from anthropogenic sources (EF > 1.5), with higher contamination of dissolved Pb, Cd, Zn and Ni and a slight degree of contamination of particulate Cu and Zn (0 < Igeo < 1). Particulate metals show a stable complex with the particulate phase (e.g. 2 < LogKd < 6). The risk assessment results indicate that particulate Pb and Zn have a 33% likelihood of toxicity for adverse biological effects. A significant toxicity effect (ΣTUi >4) of the combined particulate metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni and As) was primarily due to the higher particulate Cd, Zn, and Cr availability.

A Preliminary Assessment of Size-Fractionated Microplastics in Indoor Aerosol-Kuwait's Baseline.

The omnipresence of microplastic (MP) in various environmental samples, including aerosols, has raised public health concerns; however, there is presently very limited information on MPs in indoor aerosol. This paper presents a unique dataset where smaller MPs have been sampled using a six-stage cascade impactor from indoor environments in Kuwait. The MP concentration in the indoor air varied between 3.2 and 27.1 particles m-3, and the relative MP concentration decreased linearly from the lowest to the highest size fraction. A significant effect of location was observed for the total number of MPs (F2,14 = 5.80, p = 0.02) and the inhalable fraction (F2,14 = 8.38, p = 0.005), while location had no effect on the respirable fraction (F2,14 = 0.54, p = 0.60). A significant effect of the type of air conditioning used was also observed for the total number of MPs (F2,19 = 5.58, p = 0.01) and the inhalable fraction (F2,19 = 6.45, p = 0.008), while location had no effect on the respirable fraction (F2,19 = 1.30, p = 0.30). For the total number of MPs and the inhalable fraction, the concentration was significantly higher for the split unit air-conditioning as compared to the central air-conditioning plants. The presence/absence of carpets had no significant effect on the MP concentrations (total: F1,19 = 4.08, p = 0.06; inhalable: F1,19 = 3.03, p = 0.10; respirable: F1,19 = 4.27, p = 0.05). The shape was dominantly fibers, with few fragments in lower size fractions. These datasets represent the first baseline information for Kuwait, and the smaller MPs in all the samples further underscore the need to develop standardized protocols of MP collection in the ≤2.5 µm fraction that can have more conspicuous health implications.

Micro-Nano Plastic in the Aquatic Environment: Methodological Problems and Challenges.

Microplastic research has become a buzz word. It is seen as one of the most pressing issues of Anthropocene contamination. There is certainly no doubt about the ubiquitous presence of microplastic (MP) in almost all environmental matrices. However, the validity of considering them as a vector for contaminants needs some reconsideration, there are other more potent pathways. Their effect on marine biota also calls for some realistic experiments with environmental concentrations of MP and nanoplastic (NP). It has been observed that in most published literature, polymer characterization is performed. Is it necessary to do, or will merely finding and confirming the particle as plastic suffice for environmental research? Harmonization of protocols is necessary, and there is likely a need for some inter-laboratory comparison exercises in order to produce comparable data and reliable assessments across regions. Samples collected from the same area using different techniques show an order of magnitude difference in MP concentration. The issue of nanoplastic is more contentious; are we technologically ready to identify NP in environmental samples?

Contaminant enrichment and toxicity of the Gulf's sea surface microlayer: Baseline for determining long-term persistence.

The Gulf contains important biodiversity, but is also heavily impacted. While studies have measured seawater contaminants and toxicity, we are not aware of discrete sampling of the sea surface microlayer (SML). This ocean-atmosphere interface is important environmentally, but also sensitive to marine and atmospheric contaminant inputs. We sampled the SML and subsurface seawater (SSW) from the Gulf in August 1991 and 1992. The SML exhibited significant enrichment of petroleum hydrocarbons, Cu, Cd and Pb, which persisted more than one year after the massive 1991 Gulf War oil spill. Toxicity to echinoderm larvae was also greater in the SML. This likely reflects effects of contaminants measured and other stressors. Sophisticated techniques used over recent decades to determine biological effects of contaminants in the Gulf could usefully extend to the SML. Our study has demonstrated its sensitivity and could serve as a 'baseline' for determining long-term persistence of seawater contamination and toxicity.

Review of the toxic trace elements arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury in seafood species from Algeria and contiguous waters in the Southwestern Mediterranean Sea.

An assessment is made of published data on concentrations of four toxic trace elements arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and methyl mercury (MeHg) in seafood species from Algerian coastal waters. The data relate mainly to fish and mollusks, with Pb and Cd being the most studied elements. In contrast, no studies were found for As and MeHg in mollusks and crustaceans, and none for total Hg in crustaceans. Data analysis has shown that the element concentrations depend on the element analyzed, in particular its chemical form, and they vary with the species studied and the area where the organisms were sampled. As concentrations in muscle of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) from the eastern zone (Bejaia) (2.98 mg kg-1 wet weight), Pb in muscle of tuna (Euthynnus alletteratus) (0.49 mg kg-1 wet weight) from the western region (Mostaganem) and in muscle tissue of the mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) (10.67 mg kg-1 dry weight) from Oran all exceed the threshold risk limits set by national and international regulations. Given these findings, to guarantee seafood safety for the Algerian consumer, it is recommended to carry out monitoring of these trace elements in seafood species caught along the Algerian coast, particularly the most consumed fish, i.e., sardines, and predators such as swordfish and tuna which can accumulate high concentrations of toxic metals, particularly Hg. Obtaining a regional assessment based on similar analyses from Tunisia and Morocco was severely hampered since few similar species or taxonomic groups were analyzed in all three countries.

Temporal trend of polychlorinated biphenyls contamination in the northwestern Arabian Gulf - Evidence from sediment records.

This study provides an insight into the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) inventories in the sediments of the northwestern Arabian/Persian Gulf. PCBs can be used as chemical markers that correlate with historical events in the region, to estimate the sedimentation rates in the northern Gulf, and to determine the sources of pollutants in the study area. The concentrations of PCBs were generally patchy in sediments. At Station 1 the ΣPCB concentrations generally fluctuated between 0.100 and 0.400 ng g-1 dw throughout the depositional history measured in a sediment core. There were four peaks in the ΣPCB profile corresponding to 1969, 1979, 1983 and 1991. Station 2 showed a prominent peak at depth of 25 cm. The concentrations of the ΣPCBs and ΣICE congeners at this depth were 28 and 12 ng g-1 dw respectively. Concentrations then dropped dramatically thereafter by a factor of 4. The ΣPCB concentrations at Station 3 were very low compared to the concentrations measured at Stations 1 and 2. The PCB concentration in Core 4 which was taken from open waters was 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than those in the other coastal cores. However, a 1990-91 peak was omnipresent in these cores. There is no record of PCB production within the Gulf region, and PCB releases into the Kuwait marine environment are likely to originate from their use in products. These maxima in early-1990s can be correlated to inputs from war-related activities, including the reported destruction of PCB-containing transformers and military equipment during the occupation of Kuwait. None of the recent sediment core sections at the four stations had a ΣPCB concentration near the effects range-median (ERM) concentration of 180 ng g-1, or permissible exposure limits (PEL) of 189 ng g-1, or were above the effect range-low (ERL) values of 22.7 ng g-1.

Ocean Acidification-Mediated Food Chain Transfer of Polonium between Primary Producers and Consumers.

Phytoplankton and zooplankton are key marine components that play an important role in metal distribution through a food web transfer. An increased phytoplankton concentration as a result of ocean acidification and warming are well-established, along with the fact that phytoplankton biomagnify 210Po by 3−4 orders of magnitude compared to the seawater concentration. This experimental study is carried out to better understand the transfer of polonium between primary producers and consumers. The experimental produced data highlight the complex interaction between the polonium concentration in zooplankton food, i.e. phytoplankton, its excretion via defecated fecal pellets, and its bioaccumulation at ambient seawater pH and a lower pH of 7.7, typical of ocean acidification scenarios in the open ocean. The mass of copepods recovered was 11% less: 7.7 pH compared to 8.2. The effects of copepod species (n = 3), microalgae species (n = 3), pH (n = 2), and time (n = 4) on the polonium activity in the fecal pellets (expressed as % of the total activity introduced through feeding) was tested using an ANOVA 4. With the exception of time (model: F20, 215 = 176.84, p < 0.001; time: F3 = 1.76, p = 0.16), all tested parameters had an impact on the polonium activity (copepod species: F2 = 169.15, p < 0.0001; algae species: F2 = 10.21, p < 0.0001; pH: F1 = 9.85, p = 0.002) with complex interactions (copepod x algae: F2 = 19.48, p < 0.0001; copepod x pH: F2 = 10.54, p < 0.0001; algae x pH: F2 = 4.87, p = 0.009). The experimental data underpin the hypothesis that metal bioavailability and bioaccumulation will be enhanced in secondary consumers such as crustacean zooplankton due to ocean acidification.

Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in sediments from the Gulf and Omani waters: Status and review.

This review presents the spatio-temporal distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons including total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), total organic carbon (TOC), total aliphatics, unresolved complex mixture (UCM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and total aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments of the Gulf (Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman). The TPH ranged between 0.134 and 48,018 µg g-1 dw where 10-15 µg g-1 dw was considered as a background concentration. The TOC levels were between 0.04 and 14.96% with a mean concentration of 1.154 ±â€¯0.523%. Total aliphatic hydrocarbon levels were reported between 0.1 and 76 µg g-1, the 2005 levels that had the largest spatial coverage were between 0.1 and 4.4 µg g-1. The unresolved complex mixture was very variable post Gulf War but by 2005 most of the Gulf War artifacts had decreased and the levels were between 1.5 and 73.5 µg g-1. The Æ©PAHs in bottom sediments by 2005 were between 0.3 and 3450 ng g-1. The total aromatics were limited in spatial extent and varied between 1.0 and 14,000 µg g-1. Most of the locations with elevated contamination levels were near point sources, e.g. oil facilities and ports, and these sites could be categorized as chronically contaminated by oil. This review highlights the paucity of the data both in terms of the spatial extent and temporal coverage, and with several Gulf states undergoing large-scale coastal developments and offshore oil exploration, it will be prudent to undertake regular monitoring of the petroleum hydrocarbons to ensure effective ecosystem functioning as well as seafood and drinking water safety in the Gulf region. The spatial distribution also highlights the lack of uniformity in assessments and the need to support marine pollution assessments in the Gulf countries.

Mitigating the impact of mercury contaminants in fish and other seafood-A review.

Mercury (Hg) is a well-known toxicant which enters the marine environment by both natural and anthropogenic sources. Consumption of fish and other seafood that contain methylmercury (MeHg) is a leading source of Hg exposure in humans. Considerable efforts have been made to mitigate the Hg presence and reduce its risks to humans. In this review the acknowledged methods of mitigation are summarized such as regulation and maximum allowable limits, and culinary treatments. In addition, selected industrial level trials are reviewed, and studies on Hg intoxication and the protective effects of the essential trace element, selenium (Se), are discussed. In view of the available literature, Hg reduction in fish and other seafood on a large industrial scale still is largely unsuccessful. Hence, more research and further attempts are necessary in order to better mitigate the Hg problem in fish and other seafood products.

Depositional time trends of phosphorous accumulation in a dated sediment core from the northwestern Arabian Gulf: Can phosphorous be used to support 210Pb chronologies in coastal aquatic sediments?

The use of 210Pb dating for the reconstruction of contaminant profiles in undisturbed sediments is the most widely acceptable technique historically. Due to the uncertainties associated with the technique, dating of sediments have often been supported by ancillary evidence such as an alternative historical marker in the catchment that is preserved in the sedimentary records. The most widely used verification marker is 137Cs, which is attributed to global fallout from past nuclear weapons testing, and the Chernobyl accident. In the southern hemisphere, and the mid-latitudes, the 137Cs signal from Chernobyl fallout is often absent from the sedimentary records making it very difficult to verify the 210Pb chronologies in these natural archives. This study reports the spatial and temporal variability of total phosphorus (TP) and its forms in sediments from Kuwait Bay and provides evidence of the possibility of using Phosphorous as a potential marker to support dates derived from 210Pb dating. In the current study we report the spatial and temporal variations in the concentrations of Phosphorus from near-shore sediments from Kuwait. The mean (and range) of TP concentration in surficial sediments is 19.4 (12.2 to 24) µmol-P g-1 dry weight. The highest concentrations were measured in the deepest portions of the Bay which is characterized by fine grained sediments. The vertical profile of TP in the sediments was characterized by a gradual increase in concentration from lower layers to a subsurface maximum (at approximately 4-5 cm) followed by an exponential decrease to the sediment-water interface. The sedimentary TP profile correlated remarkably well with changes in the population of Kuwait over the last three decades, suggesting that wastewater inputs into the Bay from treatment plants are an important source of phosphorus in the coastal waters. The decrease in concentration in sediment deposited over the last five years of the core is explained by the commissioning of an improved wastewater treatment plant with higher phosphorus removal efficiency. These fluctuations preserved in the sedimentary records linked to identifiable historical events provides powerful evidence that this nutrient associated with wastewater inputs in coastal aquatic environments can be used as ancillary information to support 210Pb dating.

A review of microplastic distribution in sediment profiles.

The growing use of plastic and their indiscriminate disposal into the environment has resulted in the accumulation of huge quantities of microplastic (MP) in the marine environment. Several studies have investigated the pathways of MPs reaching marine environments and a few have begun looking at their inventories in sediment profiles. Recent estimates suggest between 70 and 90% of the MP particles are accumulated into sediment profiles. This paper reviews MPs in sediment cores, and the methods used for chronological reconstruction to provide evidence to link the plastic usage and MP inventories over time. In one example, a 210Pb dated sediment core from Kuwait Bay revealed 0.1 MPs g-1 of sediment deposited in approximately 1951 and 0.5 MPs g-1 in sediment from 2009 indicating a progressively increasing presence in recent sediments. The review also highlights the issue of very large spatio-temporal variation in MP concentrations, indicating the limitation of a snapshot study especially when dealing with the surface sediments; and it demonstrates the relevance of using sediment cores for a better assessment of MP input and inventories in the marine environment. It is proposed that MP sediment data should be reported as N m-2 year-1 or g m-2 year-1, and cores preferably dated using 210Pb, and supported by at least one other stratigraphic marker to enhance the usefulness of these datasets, since 210Pb can reliably date sediments as old as 100 years, a time-span which extends well beyond the time plastic production began. The anomalies in data processing and reporting in terms of number per kg of sediment or per cm2/m2 should be addressed essentially by adopting a standardized protocol.

An assessment of microplastic inputs into the aquatic environment from wastewater streams.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a pivotal role in removal of microplastics (MPs) particles before the waste streams are discharged into aquatic environments. Indiscriminate disposal of the effluent and untreated wastewater not only contribute to accumulation of MP in the marine environment, but they can also act as a carrier for various hydrophobic compounds and contributors of pollutants that leach from them via natural degradation. In this assessment, we have summarized the MP concentrations in influent and effluent streams, and provide quantification of the discharges from these WWTPs. Almost 50% of the global wastewater influent of 3,562,082 × 105 m3 remains untreated. Some conservative estimates indicate that treated effluent disposal can add around 1.47 × 1015 MPs annually, whereas the discharge of untreated effluent is likely to add a staggering 3.85 × 1016 MPs annually to the aquatic environments. The efficiency of MP removal in wastewater treatment plants varies between 88 and 99.9%, indicating the potential of capturing the majority of the MP from escaping into the freshwater and marine environment. Based on WWTP removal efficiencies for MPs, calculations suggest that if all the globally produced wastewater was treated prior to release, a reduction of over 90% of the current amount of MP inputs into the aquatic environment could be achieved. From the number of studies conducted and assessments made on MPs in waste streams, it is obvious the methodologies followed were quite different, and the use of acids and heating are likely to deteriorate the MPs, emphasizing the need to develop harmonized protocols for microplastic assessment in wastewater treatment plants.

Standardized protocols for microplastics determinations in environmental samples from the Gulf and marginal seas.

Microplastics are a group of ubiquitous persistent pollutants that have rapidly attracted much attention from the scientific community as well as the general public due to the growing awareness of the environmental risks they pose. However, due to limitations and variations in sampling, analytical measurement methods, and the different units used for reporting data, reliable comparisons between studies in the Gulf region and internationally are not straightforward. This study proposes standardized protocols for marine sediment, seawater, marine biota and aerosol (1) sampling, (2) sample processing, (3) sample identification and (4) reporting units to be used. An attempt has been made to highlight the limitations of the widely employed strategies for sampling microplastics in seawater, where a large portion of the microplastics is not sampled due to the mesh sizes used. The issues with the processing of biota samples and aerosols are likewise addressed, and recommendations are also made for standardization of units for reporting microplastic quantification. Protocols for collection of bottom sediments and aerosols are also proposed. These are the environmental matrixes for which there are no harmonized protocols in the Gulf region; hence if a standardized approach is adopted, it will enable and improve comparisons between the studies within this region and can be useful for similar studies in other marine areas as well.

Microplastic particles in the Persian/Arabian Gulf - A review on sampling and identification.

Microplastics are ubiquitous, persistent pollutants that are reported in abundance within the marine environment. Their presence in seawater and marine sediments poses a legitimate environmental and ecological concern for toxicity and food chain transfer via marine organisms. Their capability for sorption of other hydrophobic contaminants and the inability of the wastewater treatment plants to completely remove them pose additional risks. This review highlights the methodologies for sampling, sample preparation, and identification used in the Persian/Arabian Gulf region, which is possibly one of the least studied marginal seas with only sixteen papers published on microplastics. The review highlights the several orders of magnitude variations in microplastic concentrations among different studies; e.g. in seawater, only 12 microplastic particles were reported from 40 transects of one km length in Kuwait to 0.71 microplastics m-3 in Qatar. Concentrations in beach sediments also show the significant difference between the northern and southern Gulf coasts, with 13 particles in 24 samples reported in Qatar, and 15 particles within 44 samples across Kuwait, to 3252 ± 2766 particles m-2 from Bandar Abbas, Iran. The biota samples also show similar variances, with only three particles identified from 87 gut samples in Kuwait to 828 particles in 58 samples that include 46 fish and 12 shrimps from Iran. Some extremely high concentrations in biota are also reported from Iran, with concentrations as high as 0.251 particles g-1 of muscle and 0.931 particles g-1 in gills. It is evident that there is no consensus in the Gulf region on the sampling techniques (mesh size of plankton nets and sieves), use of fluidization solutions and very different units used in data reporting such as particles m-3 and particles m-2 in water samples. In sediments units like particles g-1 and particles m-2 have been used, and for biota it is the number of particles present in the sample, while others have quantified data as particles g-1 of tissue. Considering the higher densities of PET, PVC, nylon and polyester than seawater, they are likely to migrate downwards into marine sediments, a transfer process that has not been studied in detail. Thus the review underscores the need to adopt harmonized protocols for microplastic studies in the region, and identifies certain aspects of microplastics that require further study.

Review of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fish and fisheries products; a Sri Lankan perspective.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are emerging as important contaminants in smoked and smoke-dried fish and fish products. The smoking techniques and different parameters contribute to the PAH load in smoked fish. This review paper provides insight into the PAHs and their sources and pathways to fish, effects on human health, smoking parameters and PAHs, regulations, available information, gaps in present knowledge, and future prospects in smoked fish from Sri Lanka. Based on the very few available research reports on PAH levels in smoked fish from Sri Lanka, it is concluded that the smoked fish are not safe for human consumption according to the regulation limits published by the European Union (EU). It is therefore important to implement proper guidelines and produce a safe product to ensure that hazards are managed as appropriate Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Graphical abstract.

Environmental and human health risk assessment of trace metals in the mussel ecosystem from the Southwestern Mediterranean.

This study evaluates the geographical distribution of Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe in wild mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis as well as in associated suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediments from the Algerian coast. The bioaccumulation (metal concentrations in tissue), bioavailability (metal indices) and bioconcentration of trace metals from the adjacent environment were assessed. The computed pollution load index (PLI) indicates that the sediments are not polluted by these metals, except for Zn which shows a moderate level of contamination. All the metals in SPM samples are in a 'safe range' with respect to the computed degree of contamination (DC < 2). The target hazard quotients (THQ) and the hazard index (HI) values indicate a risk level with Fe. However, the Cr measured in mussels is considered 'extreme', according to the consumption rate limit for mussels (CRlim) which limits their consumption to 0.5 kg/day.