Global increase in the use of pharmaceutically-active compounds (PhACs), and their insufficient removal in wastewater treatment plants, have resulted in their continuous release into the marine environment. We investigated the use of the solitary ascidians Herdmania momus, Microcosmus exasperatus, and Styela plicata as bioindicators of three common PhACs in the Israeli coastal waters: Bezafibrate, carbamazepine and diclofenac. Both the Mediterranean and the Red-Sea coasts were found contaminated with PhACs, detected at all 11 sampling sites, with four sites contaminated with all three studied PhACs. Diclofenac was most frequent, present in nine of the 11 sites with concentrations reaching 51.9 ng/g of dry weight sample (dw). Bezafibrate and carbamazepine reached concentrations of 47.8 ng/g dw and 14.3 ng/g dw, respectively. The alarming detection of such high concentrations of PhACs in ascidians along Israel's coasts demonstrates both the extent of PhACs contamination in the region, and the potential of ascidians as bioindicators, and emphasizes the urgent need for additional research into PhAC contamination sources and effects.

Present work aims to document the distribution and metal contamination in the coastal sediments of the Dammam Al-Jubail area, Saudi Arabian Gulf. Twenty-six samples were collected for Al, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, Sr, As, Fe, Co and Ni analysis. Results of enrichment factor indicated that Sr, Cd, Cu, Hg, V, As, Ni, Cr and Zn gave enrichment factors higher than 2 (98.87, 40.28, 33.20, 27.87, 26.11, 14.10, 6.15, 3.72 and 2.62 respectively) implying anthropogenic sources, while Pb, Mn and Al have very low background level (1.37, 0.71, 0.124 respectively), probably originated from natural sources. Average concentrations of Sr, V, Hg, Cd and As were mostly higher than those from the background shale and the earth crust, the Caspian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the sediment quality guidelines, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Oman. The higher levels of the studied metals are mostly related samples with high Al and TOM content, as well as the visible anthropogenic pollutants along the studied coastline. The most recorded anthropogenic pollutants were sewage effluent, landfilling due to coastal infrastructure development, oil spills, petrochemical industries and desalination plants in Al-Jubail industrial city.

The Gulf of Aqaba (GoA) is of significant ecological value with unique ecosystems that host one of the most diverse coral communities in the world. However, these marine environments and biodiversity have been threatened by growing human activities. We investigated the levels and distributions of trace metals in surface seawater across the eastern coast of the Saudi GoA. Zn, Cu, Fe, B and Se in addition to total dissolved solids and seawater temperature exhibited decreasing trends northwards. While Mn, Cd, As and Pb showed higher average levels in the northern GoA. Metal input in waters is dependent on the adjacent geologic materials. The spatial variability of metals in water is also related to wave action, prevailing wind direction, and atmospheric dry deposition from adjacent arid lands. Also, water discharged from thermal desalination plants, mineral dust from fertilizer and cement factories are potential contributors of metals to seawater water, particularly, in the northern GoA.

The Egyptian beaches on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba in Sinai are a destination for international tourism throughout the year. Therefore, assessing the concentration levels of heavy metal pollutants and identifying the extent of their impact on human health is important. Single and integrated pollutants indices have been used to assess the risks of these elements. The results of single indices proved that the study area contain Fe and Zn came mostly from natural source while Cu, Pb, Cd and Hg originated from anthropogenic sources. However, the integrated pollutants indices revealed that this area is not polluted with heavy metals. On the other hand, the hazard index, and the carcinogenic risk over the lifetime coefficients proved that the beach sand of the study area is completely safe and does not have additional health risks to children or adults, where LCR < 10⁻⁶.

Most contemporary coral reefs live under both global (e.g. warming and acidification) and local (e.g. overfishing, pollution) stressors, which may synergistically undermine their resilience to thermal bleaching and diseases. While heavy metal toxicity in reefs has been well characterized, information on corals recovery from acute contamination is lacking. We studied for 42 days the ability of the coral Stylophora pistillata from the Gulf of Aqaba (northern Red Sea) to recover from a short (3 days) and prolonged (14 days) copper (Cu) contamination (1 μg L⁻¹), after 11 (‘Exp3/D11’) and 28 (‘Exp14/D28’) days of depuration, respectively. Cu caused a decrease in chlorophyll content after 3 days, and in net photosynthesis (Pn) after 14 and 42 days. ‘Exp14/D28’ showed successful recovery based on Pn and relative electron transport rate, as opposed to ‘Exp3/D11’. Results suggest the depuration time may be of greater importance than the exposure period to recover from such contamination.

The interaction of microplastic (MP) with marine organisms is crucial for understanding the significant effect that MP and its additives may have on marine environments. However, knowledge regarding the magnitude of these pollutants in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the tropical Red Sea is still scarce. Here we examined the levels of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) and MP in Herdmania momus and Microcosmus exasperatus sampled along the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts of Israel. High levels of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis (2‑ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were found in ascidians at the majority of sampling sites, and MP particles were found in ascidians at all sites. As efficient filter-feeders and being widely-distributed, invasive ascidians present fundamental opportunities for the environmental monitoring of microplastic and its additives worldwide. The high levels of pollutants revealed emphasize the need for further research into the magnitude and effects of MP and PAEs in these regions.

The Gulf of Aqaba is of significant strategic and economic value to all gulf-bordering states, particularly to Jordan, where it provides Jordan with its only marine outlet. The Gulf is subject to a variety of impacts posing imminent ecological risk to its unique marine ecosystem. We attempted to investigate the status of metal pollution in the coastal sediments of the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba. The distribution of Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, Pb, Al, Fe, and Mn concentrations were determined in trapped and bottom-surface sediments at three selected sites at different depths. In addition, monthly sedimentation rates at varying water depths were also estimated at each sampling site using sediment traps. The high concentrations of Cd, Cr, Zn were recorded at the Phosphate Loading Birth (PLB) site followed by the Industrial Complex (IC) site indicating their dominant anthropogenic source (i.e., the contribution of industrial activities). However, Fe, Al, and Mn contents were related to inputs from the terrigenous (crustal) origin. Except for Al, Fe and Mn at the PLB site, the concentrations of metals exhibited a decreasing trend with increasing water depth (distance from the shoreline). The PLB site also showed the highest sedimentation rate which decreased with increasing water depth. The Enrichment factors (EFs) showed that Cd was the most enriched element in the sediment (indicating that Cd pollution is widespread), whereas the least enriched metal in sediments was Cu. EF values suggested that the coastal area is impacted by a combination of human and natural sources of metals, where the anthropogenic sources are intense in the PLB site (north of Gulf of Aqaba). The MSS area is potentially the least polluted, consistent with being a marine reserve. The IC sediments have been found to be impacted by human activities but less intensely compared to the PLB area. These results suggested that there are two sources of metals in sediments; the primary source is likely closer to PLB, while the secondary is nearby the IC.

The northern Gulf of Aqaba is an oligotrophic water body hosting valuable coral reefs. In the Gulf, phytoplankton dynamics are driven by an annual cycle of stratification and mixing. Superimposed on that fairly regular pattern was the establishment of a shallow-water fish-farm initiative that increased gradually until its activity was terminated in June 2008. Nutrient, water temperature, irradiation, phytoplankton data gathered in the area during the years 2007–2009, covering the peak of the fish-farm activity and its cessation, were analyzed by means of statistical analyses and ecological models of phytoplankton dynamics. Two datasets, one from an open water station and one next to the fish farms, were used. Results show that nutrient concentrations and, consequently, phytoplankton abundance and seasonal succession were radically altered by the pollution originating from the fish-farm in the sampling station closer to it, and also that the fish-farm might even have influenced the open water station.

To evaluate the heavy metal contamination, ecological risk and possible sources at Saudi Yanbu coastline, 30 sediment samples were collected for Fe, Pb, Ni, As, Zn, Cu, Cr, Co, Al, Sb, Cd, and TOC analyses using ICP-MS. The potential ecological risk index (PERI), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), potential contamination index (Cp), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), soil pollution index (SPI) were calculated and interpreted, and multivariate analyses were applied. The results indicated the following order for metal averages: Al (8573 μg/g) > Fe (5895 μg/g) > Mn (192 μg/g) > Zn (80.4 μg/g) > Cu (35.87 μg/g) > Cr (27.11 μg/g) > Ni (23.5 μg/g) > Co (8.29 μg/g) > Pb (7.72 μg/g) > As (6.83 μg/g) > Sb (0.50 μg/g) > Hg (0.33 μg/g) > Cd (0.30 μg/g). Average levels of As, Ni, Zn, Co, Cd, and Pb values were greater than those reported from many coastal sediments from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Arabian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea, as well as the sediment quality guidelines. The results of potential ecological risk revealed very high risk for Cd, high risk for Hg, considerable risk for Cu, Sb, and As, moderate risk for Pb and Ni, and no to low risk for Zn and Cr. The moderately severe enriched HMs (Cd, Zn, Cu, Hg) and the moderate enriched ones (Pb, Co, As) were originated mostly from anthropogenic sources related to industrial, agricultural, urbanization and fishing activities. The no and minor enriched HMs (Fe, Al, Ni, Cr, Sb) were mostly related to lithogenic factors related to rock weathering and atmospheric inputs.

To investigate the distribution, source, contamination, and ecological risk status of heavy metals in the Red Sea-Gulf of Aqaba coast, Saudi Arabia, 33 surface sediment samples were collected for Fe, Zn, Sb, Co, Cu, Hg, Pb, Mn, Cr, Ni, Cd, As, and TOC analysis using ICP-MS. Three single and three multi-element contamination indices were used to assess the sediment quality. Evaluation of the three single pollution indices suggested some contamination or anthropogenic inputs with Cu, Cd, Hg, and, to a great extent, As. The potential ecological risk indicated low ecological risk at all sites for Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu, Co, Cr, and Sb; and considerable risk for Cd, Hg, and As. Moreover, the average values of Hg and As were higher than those recorded in the sediment quality guidelines. The multivariate statistical tools revealed that Fe, Mn, Cd, Cu, Co, Zn, and Cr were mostly of terrestrial origin, derived from weathering of the nearby Pre-Cambrian basement rocks, Tertiary, and Quaternary sedimentary rocks; while As, Sb, Hg, Ni, and Pb were mostly attributed to anthropogenic activities from traffic emissions, industrial activities, and the dredging of marine sediments. The results of this work will guide the future projects of environmentally sustainable development in northwest Saudi Arabia.