| Peer-Reviewed

Study of Nutrient Salts, Chlorophyll-a and Physicochemical Condition in El-Mex Bay Water, Alexandria, Egypt

Received: 24 January 2017     Accepted: 17 February 2017     Published: 18 December 2017
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

The present work aimed to study the physicochemical parameters and nutrient salts of El Mex Bay area to evaluate its composition since El- Mex Bay exposed to several kinds of human activities and receive different types of industrial pollutants. Various pollutants are dumped daily by industrial, agricultural and domestic sources over Alexandria coasts through several outfalls, El-Mex Bay one of these disposal sites (El-Mex Pumping Station). Surface and bottom water samples were collected seasonally during the period from September (summer) 2012 to April (spring) 2013. Salinity variation appeared in water quality changes, it ranged from 2.25‰ to 38.87‰ and from 26.21‰ to 39.64‰ at the surface and bottom water, respectively. Dissolved oxygen levels indicated poor aeration conditions along the water column, it is lower in most stations at surface layer (ND-3.15 mgl-1) than that in the bottom layer (0.79 – 6.28 mgl-1). The pH values of the study area at surface ranged (7.05 - 8.73), while at the bottom water ranged (7.18 - 8.45). Inorganic nitrogen species in El-Mex Bay water decreased in the order of NH4+ > NO3- > NO2-. The measured nutrient content varied greatly as follows: NH4+, 4.73±5.70 to 99.27±72.53 µM; NO2-, 0.72±0.43 to 4.34±3.43 µM; NO3-, 1.33±1.01 to 31.68±24.59 µM Regional and seasonal variations of total nitrogen concentration in El-Mex Bay surface and bottom water ranged from 28.26± 14.87 to 335.12±226.66 µM. The concentrations of reactive phosphate (PO4) and total phosphorus (TP) were in the ranges of 0.05-17.36 µM and 0.11-28.01 µM, respectively. As a result of nutrient enrichment, phytoplankton growth was very intensive, reflected by an abnormally high concentration of chlorophyll-a (annual average: 13.64±10.69 μg l−1 at surface and 3.96 ±2.42 μg l-1 at bottom water).

Published in American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics (Volume 3, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13
Page(s) 54-64
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Chlorophyll-A, Nutrient Salt, El Mex Bay, Salinity

References
[1] Islam M. S. and Tanaka M. (2004). Impacts of pollution on coastal and marine ecosystems including coastal and marine fisheries and approach for management: a review and synthesis. Marine Pollution Bulletin 48: 624-649.
[2] El-Saeedy M. A. E. (2007). Evaluation of the BOD Measurement of some organic wastes mixed with different water types. M.Sc. Thesis of Public Health Sciences, High Institute of Public and Health, Alexandria University, Egypt.
[3] GESAMP (IMO/FAO/UNESCO/WMO/IAEA/UN/UNEP); Joint Group Experts on the, Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (1993), “Impacts of oil and released chemicals and wastes on the marine environment”: Reports and studies No. 50, International Maritime Organization, London.
[4] Vaalgamaa S. (2004). The effect of urbanization on Laajalahti Bay, Helsinki City, as reflected by sediment geochemistry. Marine Pollution Bulletin 48: 650-662.
[5] Hass P. (2002). Environment: Pollution. In: Simmons. P. J. and Oudraat. C. J. (eds). Managing Global Issues: Lessons learned. Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 310-53.
[6] Kress N., Manca. B. B., Klein. B. and Deponte. D. (2003). Continuing influence of the changed thermohaline circulation in the eastern Mediterranean on the distribution of dissolved oxygen and nutrients: Physical and chemical characterization of the water masses,J. Geophys. Res., 108, 8109.
[7] Pujo-Pay M., Conan. P., Oriol. L., Cornet-Barthaux. V., Falco. C., Ghiglione. J.-F., Goyet. C., Moutin. T., and Prieur. L. (2011). Integrated survey of elemental stoichiometry (C,N,P) from the western to eastern Mediterranean Sea, Biogeosciences, 8, 883–899.
[8] Tanhua T., Hainbucher. D., Schroeder. K., Cardin. V., Alvarez. M. and Civitarese. G. (2013). The Mediterranean Sea system: a review and an introduction to the special issue. Ocean Sci., 9, 789–803.
[9] Huertas I. E., Rios. A. F., Garcia-Lafuente. J., Navarro. G., Makaoui. A., Sanchez-Roman. A., Rodriguez-Galvez. S., Orbi. A., Ruiz. J., and Perez. F. F. (2012). Atlantic forcing of the Mediterranean oligotrophy, Global Biogeochem. CY. 26, 2022.
[10] WHO. (2002). Eutrophication and health.
[11] Abdel-Rhman M. Kh. (2013). Distribution of Nutrient Salts in hot spot areas at El-Mex Bay (Egyptian Mediterranean Sea) In relation to physicochemical parameters. Ms. c Thesis. Fac. Sc., Alex. Univ.
[12] Mahamoud Th. H., Masoud M. S., Shaltout N. A. (2008). Physico- chemical characteristics of different water type in El-Mex Bay, Alexandria, Egypt.
[13] Said M. A., El-Deek M. S., Mahmoud. Th. H. and Shriadah. M. A. (1994). Effect of pollution on the hydrochemical characteristics of different water types in El-Max Bay area, west of Alexandria, Egypt. ActaAdriatica, 34 (1/2): 9-19.
[14] Tayel F. T., Fahmy. M. A. and shriadah. M. A. (1996). Studies of physicochemical characteristic of el-mex bay and new dekhela harbor of Alexandria. bull. Nat. inst. Oceanogr&fish., A. R. E., 22: 1-18.
[15] Abd-Alla A. M. (2007). Speciation of Trace Metals in Coastal Sediments of El-MexBay South Mediterranean Sea–West of Alexandria (Egypt). Environ Monit Assess, 132:111–123.
[16] Grasshoff K. (1983). Methods of seawater analysis. VerlagChemie, Weinheim, New York.
[17] FAO (1976). Manual of Methods in Aquatic Environmental Research, Part I: Permanganate value (oxidiability) of organic matter in natural waters. Fisheries Technical Paper, 1378: 169.
[18] Strickland H. D. and Parsons, T. R. (1972). A practical handbook of sea water analysis. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada Bull., 157, 2nd ed.:310.
[19] Valderrama J. C. (1981). The simultaneous analysis of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in natural waters. Marine Chemistry, 10: 109-122.
[20] International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) (1983). Chemical methods for use in marine environmental monitoring. Manuals and Guides. UNESCO, 53.
[21] Edwards A. J. and Head S. M. (1987). Red Sea, Keu Environmental Series, Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK.
[22] Stumm W. and Morgan. J. J. (1970). Aquatic chemistry, an introduction emphasizing chemical equlibria in natural waters. Wiley-interscience. Inc. New York, London, Sydney and Toronto. 583.
[23] Duursma E. K. (1961). Dissolved organic Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the Sea NeTherl. J. Sea Res., 1(1-2), 1-141.
[24] Prosi and VanLierde. J. H. (1983). Metal Pollution in the Aquatic Environment Springer. Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo.
[25] Elewa A. A. and Ghalab. M. H. M. (2001). Water sediment interaction in the River Nile at Rossetta branch in front of El-Rahawy drain, Egypt. Life Environ. 422-442.
[26] Meade J. W. (1985). Allowable ammonia for fish culture. Prog. Fish. Cult. 47, 135-145.
[27] Barat S and Jana. B. B. (1987). Effects of farming management on the distribution pattern of ammonification rate, protein mineralizing and ammonifying bacterial population in experimental culture tanks. Bamidgeh 39, 120 - 132.
[28] Weimer W. and Lee. G. F. (1973). Limnol. Oceanogr., 18, 414-425.
[29] APHA (1995) American Public Health Associations. Standard Methods for The Examination of Water and Wastewater.19th edition, New York.
[30] Munawar M. (1970). Limnological Studies on Fresh Water Ponds of Hyderabad, India, I. The Biotope. Hydrobiol., 35: 127-163.
[31] Seike Y. J., Kondo K., Hashihitani. H., Okumura. M., Fujinya. K. and Date. Y. (1990). "Nitrogen metabolism in brackish lake nakanoum. IV; Seasonal variation of nitrate-nitrogen". Jpn. J. Limnol. 51(3), 137-147.
[32] EPA. (2013). Environmental Protection Agency. United State.
[33] Okbah M. A. (2005). Nitrogen and Phosphorus species of lake burullus water (Egypt). Egyptian journal of aquatic research, 31, 1.
[34] Vanloon G. W. and Duffy. S. J. (2000). In "Environmental Chemistry" A Global.
[35] Abou-El-Khair E. M. (1993). Chemical studies on the Mediterranean coastal water in front of the rosetta mouth of the Nile. M. Sc. Fac. Sc., Alex. Univ. Chemical Oceanogrphy Depepartment. Egypt.
[36] Saad M. A. (1973). Hydrobiologia, 41:477-499.
[37] Baiely-Watts A. E. (1976). Planktonic diatoms and some diatom silica relation in a shallow eutrophic scottish lake fresh water. Biol., 69-80.
[38] Dickson E. L. (1975). A Silica Budget for Lough Neagh 1970-1972. Freshwater Biology, 5, 1-12.
[39] Sawsan M. A., Nagwa. E. A., Mohamed. M. A., El Raey. M. and Hamdy. A. A. (2014). Environmental assessment of El-Mex Bay, South-eastern Mediterranean by using Rotifera as a plankton bio-indicator. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research. 40: 43-57.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Mohamed A. Okbah, Mamdouh S. Masoud, Gehan M. El Zokm, Alyaa A. Abd El-Salam. (2017). Study of Nutrient Salts, Chlorophyll-a and Physicochemical Condition in El-Mex Bay Water, Alexandria, Egypt. American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics, 3(4), 54-64. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Mohamed A. Okbah; Mamdouh S. Masoud; Gehan M. El Zokm; Alyaa A. Abd El-Salam. Study of Nutrient Salts, Chlorophyll-a and Physicochemical Condition in El-Mex Bay Water, Alexandria, Egypt. Am. J. Biol. Environ. Stat. 2017, 3(4), 54-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Mohamed A. Okbah, Mamdouh S. Masoud, Gehan M. El Zokm, Alyaa A. Abd El-Salam. Study of Nutrient Salts, Chlorophyll-a and Physicochemical Condition in El-Mex Bay Water, Alexandria, Egypt. Am J Biol Environ Stat. 2017;3(4):54-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13,
      author = {Mohamed A. Okbah and Mamdouh S. Masoud and Gehan M. El Zokm and Alyaa A. Abd El-Salam},
      title = {Study of Nutrient Salts, Chlorophyll-a and Physicochemical Condition in El-Mex Bay Water, Alexandria, Egypt},
      journal = {American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics},
      volume = {3},
      number = {4},
      pages = {54-64},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajbes.20170304.13},
      abstract = {The present work aimed to study the physicochemical parameters and nutrient salts of El Mex Bay area to evaluate its composition since El- Mex Bay exposed to several kinds of human activities and receive different types of industrial pollutants. Various pollutants are dumped daily by industrial, agricultural and domestic sources over Alexandria coasts through several outfalls, El-Mex Bay one of these disposal sites (El-Mex Pumping Station). Surface and bottom water samples were collected seasonally during the period from September (summer) 2012 to April (spring) 2013. Salinity variation appeared in water quality changes, it ranged from 2.25‰ to 38.87‰ and from 26.21‰ to 39.64‰ at the surface and bottom water, respectively. Dissolved oxygen levels indicated poor aeration conditions along the water column, it is lower in most stations at surface layer (ND-3.15 mgl-1) than that in the bottom layer (0.79 – 6.28 mgl-1). The pH values of the study area at surface ranged (7.05 - 8.73), while at the bottom water ranged (7.18 - 8.45). Inorganic nitrogen species in El-Mex Bay water decreased in the order of NH4+ > NO3- > NO2-. The measured nutrient content varied greatly as follows: NH4+, 4.73±5.70 to 99.27±72.53 µM; NO2-, 0.72±0.43 to 4.34±3.43 µM; NO3-, 1.33±1.01 to 31.68±24.59 µM Regional and seasonal variations of total nitrogen concentration in El-Mex Bay surface and bottom water ranged from 28.26± 14.87 to 335.12±226.66 µM. The concentrations of reactive phosphate (PO4) and total phosphorus (TP) were in the ranges of 0.05-17.36 µM and 0.11-28.01 µM, respectively. As a result of nutrient enrichment, phytoplankton growth was very intensive, reflected by an abnormally high concentration of chlorophyll-a (annual average: 13.64±10.69 μg l−1 at surface and 3.96 ±2.42 μg l-1 at bottom water).},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Study of Nutrient Salts, Chlorophyll-a and Physicochemical Condition in El-Mex Bay Water, Alexandria, Egypt
    AU  - Mohamed A. Okbah
    AU  - Mamdouh S. Masoud
    AU  - Gehan M. El Zokm
    AU  - Alyaa A. Abd El-Salam
    Y1  - 2017/12/18
    PY  - 2017
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13
    T2  - American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics
    JF  - American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics
    JO  - American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics
    SP  - 54
    EP  - 64
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2471-979X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbes.20170304.13
    AB  - The present work aimed to study the physicochemical parameters and nutrient salts of El Mex Bay area to evaluate its composition since El- Mex Bay exposed to several kinds of human activities and receive different types of industrial pollutants. Various pollutants are dumped daily by industrial, agricultural and domestic sources over Alexandria coasts through several outfalls, El-Mex Bay one of these disposal sites (El-Mex Pumping Station). Surface and bottom water samples were collected seasonally during the period from September (summer) 2012 to April (spring) 2013. Salinity variation appeared in water quality changes, it ranged from 2.25‰ to 38.87‰ and from 26.21‰ to 39.64‰ at the surface and bottom water, respectively. Dissolved oxygen levels indicated poor aeration conditions along the water column, it is lower in most stations at surface layer (ND-3.15 mgl-1) than that in the bottom layer (0.79 – 6.28 mgl-1). The pH values of the study area at surface ranged (7.05 - 8.73), while at the bottom water ranged (7.18 - 8.45). Inorganic nitrogen species in El-Mex Bay water decreased in the order of NH4+ > NO3- > NO2-. The measured nutrient content varied greatly as follows: NH4+, 4.73±5.70 to 99.27±72.53 µM; NO2-, 0.72±0.43 to 4.34±3.43 µM; NO3-, 1.33±1.01 to 31.68±24.59 µM Regional and seasonal variations of total nitrogen concentration in El-Mex Bay surface and bottom water ranged from 28.26± 14.87 to 335.12±226.66 µM. The concentrations of reactive phosphate (PO4) and total phosphorus (TP) were in the ranges of 0.05-17.36 µM and 0.11-28.01 µM, respectively. As a result of nutrient enrichment, phytoplankton growth was very intensive, reflected by an abnormally high concentration of chlorophyll-a (annual average: 13.64±10.69 μg l−1 at surface and 3.96 ±2.42 μg l-1 at bottom water).
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Marine Chemistry Department, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt

  • Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

  • Marine Chemistry Department, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt

  • Marine Chemistry Department, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt

  • Sections