Anthropogenic activities, urban and industrial wastewaters, and the usual disintegration of rock from physical, chemical, and biological stresses are the main cause of heavy metals in seawater and sediments worldwide. Five different sampling locations were selected after an initial survey of the Dammam region Seawater study area, and sediment samples were procured in triplicate from each location to assess the level of selected heavy metals pollutions in the Arabian Gulf, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Be, Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Pb, Hg, Co, Zn, Fe, Mn, Sr, and Mo were detected using "inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS)." The pH ranges from 7.91±0.26 -8.22 ± 0.38 in stations 4 and 3, respectively. Surface seawater’s electrical conductivity values ranged from 71788±28.52 to 75680 ± 42.92 µS/cm at stations 4 and 3. The minimum and maximum concentration of total dissolved solid was observed as 49524 ±50.25 and 54786 ±66.95 mgL-1 in sites 4 and 3, respectively. The level of these metals fluctuated among the sampling sites. The highest concentration of these heavy metals was recorded from sampling site 4 and minimum in location 1. The average level of these metals in water samples were recorded Sr > Cu > Se > Zn > As > Mn > Fe > Ni > Mo > Hg > Co > Cr > Ag > Cd > Pb and Be, respectively. The average level of these metals in sediment samples were recorded Fe > Sr > Ni > Mn > Cu > Cr > Zn > Pb > Ag > As > Mo > Co > Se > Hg > Be and Cd, respectively.
It has been concluded that the pollution stress was not very high except Tarut Island compared to other sampling sites. The average level of these metals in water samples were recorded Sr > Cu > Se > Zn > As > Mn > Fe > Ni > Mo > Hg > Co > Cr > Ag > Cd > Pb and Be, respectively. The average level of these metals in sediment samples were recorded Fe > Sr > Ni > Mn > Cu > Cr > Zn > Pb > Ag > As > Mo > Co > Se > Hg > Be and Cd, respectively. The concentration of As, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Sr was high, alarming, particularly in the Dammam area. This critical situation warrants the attention of the country’s Environmental Protection Agency and other stakeholders to devise strategies to overcome the current situation to ensure the supply of aquaculture products for human consumption.