Impact of pollution in Alexandria harbour

ABSTRACT

This research was conducted to evaluate the status of marine pollution in the harbor, its sources and impacts on the harbor authority. It also focuses on the possible remedies. The harbor survey revealed clearly the direct impacts of the different activities taking place there and the vivid pollution status of the harbor. The physical and chemical characterization of the eighteen selected stations are shown. Mean, standard deviation and range of reported values are based on six sets of data collected all over the year 1989. Starting from the inner harbor, the first zone is used by the Military Navy Academy where their ships dock. Sewage submerged outfalls are discharging domestic waste in this area without treatment from the buildings close to the shore line. Oil pollution is observed clearly due to the improper disposal of lubricating oils and petroleum oil from the ships while fueling. The oil and grease content in station no. 8 which was in a median position of this area showed a value of 29.7 mg/l and a range of 12-46.4 mg/l. Those values are within the highest value recorded in the harbor area. The biological oxygen demand value [BOD] which is a direct measure of the organic load present in this area showed a mean of 74 mg O2/L and a range of 56-112 mg O2.L. The volatile solid mean value was 7.3 x 103 with a range of 4.9 - 9.1 x 103 mg/L. This value indicated the presence of organic matter whether from sewage or from the biomass present in the water as a result of its content of nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter as a carbon source for active biological growth and algae eutrophication. Bacterial total counts showed 40 to 300/ml, the coliform group counts ranged between zero and 23/100 ml. The E. coli counts recorded a value of 0-3.6 indicating the presence of human sources of pollution