Sediment quality and environmental risk assessment in a Mediterranean coastal system using geochemical and multivariate statistical analyses: the case of Boughrara Lagoon (southeastern Tunisia).

Coastal ecosystems are the most vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic pressures which should be assessed using various chemical and ecological indicators. Our study aims to provide practical monitoring of anthropogenic pressures related to metal discharges in coastal waters for identifying potential ecological deterioration. The spatial variability of various chemical elements concentrations and their main sources were determined in the surficial sediments of a Mediterranean coastal area submitted to high anthropogenic pressure, the semi-enclosed Boughrara Lagoon located in southeastern Tunisia, by conducting several geochemical and multi-elemental analyses.