Accumulation of Lead, Mercury and Cadmium in Coastal Sediments in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

It is well known that marine organisms accumulate metals within their tissues through bioaccumulation. While studies have thoroughly investigated the human toxicological potential of seafood consumption, the ecotoxicological effects often remain unclear. Sediments, however, act as major sinks for metals in the marine environment and the topic has been well studied throughout the world’s ocean. Accumulation of metals in marine sediments can act as an indicator of ecotoxicological potential due to both the availability of studies as well as the comparability through a normalized set of standards. While sediment accumulation studies exist for the Mediterranean Sea (especially the Western Basin), a major knowledge gap remains in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and regional information is highly lacking. This chapter aims to assess the accumulation of mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in sediments of the Eastern Basin by taking a regional approach and exploring the North African coastline, Levantine Sea, Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea. Within each region, a brief description is provided for each individual country reagrding the state of the marine environment as well as the anthropogenic activity that may affect local pollution levels. Additionally, a brief overview of the metal research in sediments is provided.