Table 1 Mean levels of toxic metals and phthalates (in μg/l) present in seawater from 40 sites along the Lebanese coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

1

20.69 ± 0.11

6.75 ± 0.13

14.48 ± 0.11

9.86 ± 0.09

1.01 ± 0.09

15.57 ± 0.08

7.58 ± 0.14

4.68 ± 0.15

3.64 ± 0.11

2

20.95 ± 0.12

6.28 ± 0.11

17.55 ± 0.07

9.76 ± 0.08

1.23 ± 0.08

15.04 ± 0.08

7.81 ± 0.12

3.41 ± 0.14

3.92 ± 0.15

3

21.23 ± 0.12

3.04 ± 0.09

16.63 ± 0.08

11.31 ± 0.08

1.52 ± 0.09

18.75 ± 0.10

8.51 ± 0.05

2.56 ± 0.13

4.48 ± 0.09

4

30.34 ± 0.16

6.02 ± 0.08

36.27 ± 0.11

8.65 ± 0.05

1.52 ± 0.08

15.21 ± 0.08

7.12 ± 0.13

3.83 ± 0.14

4.76 ± 0.04

5

19.48 ± 0.14

4.72 ± 0.08

44.96 ± 0.12

11.75 ± 0.07

1.27 ± 0.09

16.21 ± 0.08

8.09 ± 0.13

5.11 ± 0.11

3.15 ± 0.08

6

23.56 ± 0.11

7.51 ± 0.12

45.08 ± 0.13

13.58 ± 0.11

2.17 ± 0.12

21.82 ± 0.13

9.89 ± 0.09

4.85 ± 0.14

4.25 ± 0.07

7

16.96 ± 0.08

7.87 ± 0.15

17.76 ± 0.11

7.71 ± 0.07

1.94 ± 0.08

13.91 ± 0.08

10.72 ± 0.14

4.24 ± 0.11

2.51 ± 0.05

8

15.75 ± 0.09

7.11 ± 0.14

11.43 ± 0.12

4.47 ± 0.06

1.51 ± 0.06

10.25 ± 0.06

12.26 ± 0.15

3.97 ± 0.07

1.25 ± 0.08

9

17.32 ± 0.09

7.66 ± 0.13

29.33 ± 0.08

8.07 ± 0.08

1.17 ± 0.08

13.24 ± 0.07

10.83 ± 0.14

3.78 ± 0.10

1.58 ± 0.06

10

16.92 ± 0.11

7.45 ± 0.16

31.03 ± 0.13

7.97 ± 0.07

1.75 ± 0.07

13.06 ± 0.06

7.47 ± 0.13

4.74 ± 0.09

1.59 ± 0.08

11

19.07 ± 0.09

7.12 ± 0.11

18.52 ± 0.11

7.75 ± 0.09

1.77 ± 0.09

13.56 ± 0.08

9.32 ± 0.13

3.41 ± 0.13

3.67 ± 0.09

12

17.41 ± 0.12

6.51 ± 0.14

21.87 ± 0.08

6.56 ± 0.08

2.19 ± 0.06

11.71 ± 0.09

9.99 ± 0.12

4.26 ± 0.07

3.36 ± 0.08

13

20.28 ± 0.11

6.84 ± 0.13

28.76 ± 0.11

6.24 ± 0.07

2.11 ± 0.06

15.47 ± 0.08

10.52 ± 0.13

6.82 ± 0.06

2.24 ± 0.06

14

15.39 ± 0.09

4.25 ± 0.12

17.84 ± 0.12

5.73 ± 0.07

2.57 ± 0.07

13.56 ± 0.05

11.25 ± 0.15

4.87 ± 0.11

2.16 ± 0.07

15

14.23 ± 0.11

4.52 ± 0.11

16.12 ± 0.11

5.28 ± 0.06

3.97 ± 0.09

12.92 ± 0.08

8.37 ± 0.12

11.58 ± 0.06

2.85 ± 0.08

16

13.01 ± 0.09

4.17 ± 0.15

25.28 ± 0.08

5.39 ± 0.05

3.05 ± 0.06

16.82 ± 0.08

10.67 ± 0.14

10.54 ± 0.11

1.24 ± 0.09

17

11.49 ± 0.11

7.44 ± 0.13

19.56 ± 0.09

3.93 ± 0.05

3.09 ± 0.06

14.12 ± 0.11

11.45 ± 0.11

8.74 ± 0.07

1.12 ± 0.14

18

13.82 ± 0.08

7.79 ± 0.13

53.11 ± 0.11

3.41 ± 0.06

3.53 ± 0.07

17.49 ± 0.06

12.45 ± 0.15

10.92 ± 0.09

1.45 ± 0.12

19

11.13 ± 0.07

7.42 ± 0.14

30.14 ± 0.14

4.11 ± 0.07

3.25 ± 0.04

11.51 ± 0.09

12.52 ± 0.11

11.51 ± 0.07

2.24 ± 0.13

20

14.54 ± 0.08

8.82 ± 0.12

37.36 ± 0.11

6.93 ± 0.07

3.47 ± 0.04

14.72 ± 0.06

13.12 ± 0.10

8.91 ± 0.06

2.56 ± 0.14

21

20.59 ± 0.08

9.76 ± 0.11

78.18 ± 0.11

8.43 ± 0.05

2.86 ± 0.04

21.71 ± 0.05

12.76 ± 0.14

8.54 ± 0.06

3.36 ± 0.14

22

18.12 ± 0.09

9.93 ± 0.15

36.25 ± 0.08

9.42 ± 0.07

2.45 ± 0.05

10.77 ± 0.03

11.71 ± 0.13

11.51 ± 0.05

3.56 ± 0.16

23

13.73 ± 0.08

7.65 ± 0.16

29.12 ± 0.09

6.81 ± 0.06

2.24 ± 0.03

14.21 ± 0.05

10.25 ± 0.13

12.36 ± 0.09

2.68 ± 0.14

24

9.56 ± 0.11

7.52 ± 0.12

17.95 ± 0.11

6.25 ± 0.04

2.64 ± 0.04

7.78 ± 0.04

10.35 ± 0.14

8.95 ± 0.09

2.28 ± 0.17

25

8.31 ± 0.09

7.12 ± 0.15

16.26 ± 0.11

7.72 ± 0.05

2.16 ± 0.03

6.32 ± 0.06

10.65 ± 0.11

9.81 ± 0.08

1.48 ± 0.14

26

11.81 ± 0.08

7.53 ± 0.14

29.16 ± 0.12

7.92 ± 0.06

2.34 ± 0.05

7.52 ± 0.07

9.25 ± 0.06

11.93 ± 0.06

1.68 ± 0.16

27

14.08 ± 0.09

4.13 ± 0.15

30.33 ± 0.13

5.25 ± 0.07

2.98 ± 0.06

6.52 ± 0.08

9.36 ± 0.07

9.14 ± 0.05

1.81 ± 0.15

28

11.22 ± 0.07

6.24 ± 0.14

58.61 ± 0.09

8.25 ± 0.05

2.87 ± 0.04

6.32 ± 0.07

11.74 ± 0.14

15.35 ± 0.05

1.58 ± 0.14

29

18.66 ± 0.09

7.56 ± 0.14

26.27 ± 0.14

7.68 ± 0.04

2.14 ± 0.04

5.27 ± 0.05

10.96 ± 0.11

2.98 ± 0.07

1.68 ± 0.12

30

19.65 ± 0.07

7.65 ± 0.13

26.04 ± 0.13

7.21 ± 0.05

1.84 ± 0.04

5.53 ± 0.04

9.12 ± 0.09

8.52 ± 0.06

1.47 ± 0.11

31

23.87 ± 0.12

7.16 ± 0.11

29.31 ± 0.08

9.85 ± 0.08

1.58 ± 0.06

10.15 ± 0.06

9.86 ± 0.08

7.25 ± 0.07

3.42 ± 0.14

32

18.66 ± 0.09

7.35 ± 0.09

37.12 ± 0.07

5.41 ± 0.05

1.85 ± 0.05

5.21 ± 0.07

10.54 ± 0.04

10.23 ± 0.06

2.45 ± 0.11

33

14.58 ± 0.08

4.12 ± 0.11

30.14 ± 0.09

4.98 ± 0.06

1.45 ± 0.07

6.58 ± 0.08

10.45 ± 0.11

10.65 ± 0.04

2.42 ± 0.09

34

20.37 ± 0.09

4.18 ± 0.12

22.32 ± 0.11

4.56 ± 0.07

0.71 ± 0.12

4.85 ± 0.09

11.54 ± 0.09

6.87 ± 0.05

3.32 ± 0.08

35

9.11 ± 0.07

6.22 ± 0.14

25.42 ± 0.14

4.91 ± 0.06

0.81 ± 0.11

3.77 ± 0.06

10.03 ± 0.09

7.62 ± 0.04

2.87 ± 0.04

36

9.46 ± 0.08

6.21 ± 0.14

23.12 ± 0.12

4.87 ± 0.06

0.85 ± 0.09

5.58 ± 0.05

9.13 ± 0.08

6.82 ± 0.05

4.25 ± 0.06

37

10.22 ± 0.07

7.11 ± 0.11

24.62 ± 0.07

5.28 ± 0.04

0.24 ± 0.07

5.32 ± 0.07

8.52 ± 0.07

5.11 ± 0.04

2.52 ± 0.07

38

8.25 ± 0.08

6.54 ± 0.12

20.54 ± 0.08

4.38 ± 0.03

0.57 ± 0.06

4.61 ± 0.06

8.44 ± 0.06

5.54 ± 0.06

1.68 ± 0.08

39

8.71 ± 0.11

3.11 ± 0.09

21.14 ± 0.12

4.51 ± 0.04

0.37 ± 0.07

3.14 ± 0.05

8.45 ± 0.05

5.32 ± 0.05

1.81 ± 0.04

40

8.52 ± 0.09

3.25 ± 0.09

14.68 ± 0.08

3.81 ± 0.03

0.45 ± 0.09

3.12 ± 0.04

8.47 ± 0.04

4.26 ± 0.04

1.76 ± 0.06

LOD

0.01

0.005

0.2

0.01

0.006

0.01

0.02

0.01

0.01

LOQ

0.05

0.02

0.6

0.05

0.03

0.05

0.06

0.05

0.05

1

16.64 ± 0.14

1.27 ± 0.06

0.98 ± 0.03

0.32 ± 0.03

1.14 ± 0.05

15.57 ± 1.3

30.43 ± 2.1

n.d

2

12.64 ± 0.16

1.26 ± 0.04

1.07 ± 0.03

0.41 ± 0.05

1.81 ± 0.04

21.58 ± 1.2

27.07 ± 1.7

n.d

3

24.35 ± 0.17

1.54 ± 0.06

1.01 ± 0.04

0.61 ± 0.04

2.01 ± 0.06

20.86 ± 1.1

28.91 ± 1.9

n.d

4

31.25 ± 0.21

1.35 ± 0.07

1.24 ± 0.05

2.51 ± 0.06

2.21 ± 0.04

31.37 ± 1.1

22.74 ± 1.3

n.d

5

31.26 ± 0.15

1.32 ± 0.08

3.11 ± 0.07

2.54 ± 0.05

2.89 ± 0.08

67.45 ± 2.7

16.51 ± 1.7

10.98 ± 1.1

6

33.98 ± 0.21

3.11 ± 0.04

3.15 ± 0.07

2.19 ± 0.08

3.14 ± 0.07

65.77 ± 2.3

10.28 ± 1.3

n.d

7

27.78 ± 0.24

1.26 ± 0.05

3.02 ± 0.08

1.28 ± 0.07

2.34 ± 0.06

45.91 ± 1.5

23.38 ± 2.3

n.d

8

21.54 ± 0.21

1.14 ± 0.07

1.87 ± 0.08

1.11 ± 0.06

3.74 ± 0.04

30.97 ± 2.1

42.57 ± 2.1

n.d

9

22.94 ± 0.22

1.58 ± 0.08

1.69 ± 0.09

1.05 ± 0.04

4.21 ± 0.03

33.31 ± 2.3

21.31 ± 2.5

n.d

10

21.98 ± 0.21

3.08 ± 0.06

1.59 ± 0.11

1.37 ± 0.08

4.67 ± 0.04

45.78 ± 2.7

n.d

n.d

11

25.05 ± 0.25

1.47 ± 0.08

1.77 ± 0.09

1.48 ± 0.09

5.41 ± 0.06

28.11 ± 1.8

n.d

n.d

12

22.18 ± 0.22

2.58 ± 0.07

1.67 ± 0.12

0.92 ± 0.08

3.41 ± 0.07

26.58 ± 1.6

n.d

n.d

13

13.68 ± 0.21

3.08 ± 0.06

1.87 ± 0.11

0.62 ± 0.07

6.52 ± 0.06

17.55 ± 1.6

22.02 ± 2.2

n.d

14

15.27 ± 0.13

1.26 ± 0.04

1.26 ± 0.08

0.32 ± 0.06

4.86 ± 0.04

28.47 ± 1.8

30.47 ± 3.1

n.d

15

17.28 ± 0.15

1.47 ± 0.08

1.21 ± 0.07

0.49 ± 0.05

6.54 ± 0.03

44.52 ± 1.4

27.91 ± 1.8

n.d

16

16.99 ± 0.17

1.58 ± 0.10

1.75 ± 0.11

0.58 ± 0.06

6.98 ± 0.04

72.88 ± 1.4

34.64 ± 0.5

n.d

17

15.03 ± 0.16

1.62 ± 0.12

1.83 ± 0.08

1.28 ± 0.07

7.33 ± 0.04

68.52 ± 2.8

36.91 ± 1.7

16.84 ± 0.7

18

15.52 ± 0.15

1.87 ± 0.07

1.96 ± 0.06

0.62 ± 0.06

7.93 ± 0.06

70.21 ± 2.9

44.64 ± 2.2

n.d

19

16.31 ± 0.16

1.91 ± 0.08

2.03 ± 0.07

0.63 ± 0.07

6.16 ± 0.05

55.61 ± 1.6

45.57 ± 1.5

n.d

20

22.57 ± 0.16

2.22 ± 0.05

2.06 ± 0.07

0.83 ± 0.08

5.71 ± 0.07

49.38 ± 2.9

35.56 ± 2.6

5.62 ± 0.6

21

24.32 ± 0.15

2.89 ± 0.07

2.33 ± 0.06

1.94 ± 0.09

5.42 ± 0.04

52.96 ± 2.3

33.49 ± 1.3

n.d

22

22.54 ± 0.13

3.48 ± 0.08

2.03 ± 0.04

2.87 ± 0.08

4.04 ± 0.05

34.24 ± 2.5

40.55 ± 2.2

n.d

23

20.02 ± 0.13

2.45 ± 0.09

1.87 ± 0.03

2.35 ± 0.07

4.95 ± 0.05

41.91 ± 2.2

40.35 ± 2.1

5.98 ± 0.7

24

20.78 ± 0.14

2.22 ± 0.12

1.81 ± 0.04

2.55 ± 0.06

4.61 ± 0.06

63.88 ± 1.4

18.61 ± 1.9

n.d

25

19.33 ± 0.13

1.89 ± 0.11

1.67 ± 0.05

1.21 ± 0.07

3.49 ± 0.07

53.07 ± 2.3

11.35 ± 1.4

7.04 ± 0.2

26

22.01 ± 0.14

1.74 ± 0.09

1.87 ± 0.06

0.89 ± 0.08

4.41 ± 0.05

37.36 ± 1.7

11.05 ± 1.1

n.d

27

20.35 ± 0.07

1.87 ± 0.08

1.81 ± 0.06

0.76 ± 0.07

2.21 ± 0.04

53.77 ± 2.4

n.d

7.06 ± 0.7

28

12.25 ± 0.12

1.98 ± 0.07

1.35 ± 0.08

0.64 ± 0.06

3.66 ± 0.05

41.57 ± 2.2

n.d

11.21 ± 1.1

29

14.25 ± 0.11

1.58 ± 0.06

0.85 ± 0.09

0.58 ± 0.07

2.94 ± 0.04

33.34 ± 2.1

n.d

9.91 ± 0.9

30

12.15 ± 0.09

1.35 ± 0.04

0.81 ± 0.04

0.44 ± 0.06

2.64 ± 0.05

46.71 ± 1.7

16.65 ± 1.3

n.d

31

11.85 ± 0.11

1.87 ± 0.05

0.85 ± 0.03

0.34 ± 0.08

3.61 ± 0.06

33.32 ± 1.3

n.d

6.35 ± 0.6

32

10.47 ± 0.10

1.41 ± 0.09

0.75 ± 0.03

0.12 ± 0.05

2.64 ± 0.04

40.47 ± 1.4

13.82 ± 1.1

n.d

33

10.69 ± 0.07

1.34 ± 0.07

0.88 ± 0.03

0.13 ± 0.06

2.23 ± 0.04

46.72 ± 1.6

n.d

n.d

34

9.74 ± 0.08

1.25 ± 0.08

0.96 ± 0.03

0.12 ± 0.05

2.31 ± 0.06

33.65 ± 2.4

n.d

n.d

35

8.76 ± 0.09

1.11 ± 0.06

0.91 ± 0.03

0.14 ± 0.07

2.33 ± 0.07

30.04 ± 1.1

n.d

n.d

36

7.35 ± 0.07

0.87 ± 0.07

0.94 ± 0.05

0.12 ± 0.06

2.66 ± 0.05

41.11 ± 1.1

n.d

n.d

37

9.18 ± 0.08

0.77 ± 0.06

0.82 ± 0.03

0.15 ± 0.04

2.85 ± 0.06

43.05 ± 1.3

n.d

n.d

38

8.97 ± 0.09

0.85 ± 0.07

0.77 ± 0.04

0.13 ± 0.05

2.36 ± 0.04

32.79 ± 2.3

n.d

n.d

39

7.84 ± 0.11

0.97 ± 0.05

0.74 ± 0.02

0.12 ± 0.04

2.07 ± 0.05

30.88 ± 2.1

n.d

n.d

40

8.14 ± 0.09

0.84 ± 0.04

0.68 ± 0.02

0.11 ± 0.03

1.48 ± 0.03

17.06 ± 1.7

n.d

n.d

LOD

0.03

0.01

0.05

0.01

0.02

LOQ

0.06

0.05

0.1

0.05

0.06

0.02

0.04

0.02

IDL

0.03–100

0.05–100

0.02–100

LR