| Summary: | Abstract Background Burullus Lake has received a great attention because of its environmental and economic importance for connecting with the Mediterranean Sea through El Boughaz opening. Some of the chemical analyses were performed to study the potential environmental risk of Burullus Lake. The present study explores the potentiality of environmental risk of Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu for detecting most vulnerable areas to water and sediment pollution at Burullus Lake during different three periods: 2010, 2012, and 2015. The concentrations of DO, BOD, COD, and TDS during three periods 2010, 2012, and 2015 were higher than the WHO limits for the protection of fish and other aquatic life in Burullus lakes. Results The mean concentrations of heavy metals in Burullus bottom sediments in 2010 were arranged in descending order as follows: Fe > Mn > Cr > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cd, while the descending order in 2012 is Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd, as well as the descending order in 2015 is Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cu > Cd. The Fe is the highest concentration in all years. Conclusions The potential ecological risk index (RI) 2010 is S4 > S11 > S7 > S6 > S9 > S5 > S1 > S10 > S8 > S2 > S12 > S3, where RI 2012, S4 > S9 > S6 > S10 > S5 > S8 > S2 > S12 > S3 > S11 > S7 > S1 as well as RI 2015, S4 > S11 > S7 > S6 > S9 > S1 > S2 > S10 > S12 > S8 > S3 > S5.
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