Vol.4 No.2 – 4 : Effect of sewage water discharge on Red Sea and shore Water and soil chemical characteristics

By : Al-Zahrani saeed, AL-Hasawi zaki

Abstract

Jeddah City Saudi Arabia sewage water (untreated and treated) is discharged into the Red Sea water south of the city. The discharged water may contain harmful toxic elements that may affect the living organisms in the sea water, and also the coastal habitat particularly naturally growing plant species. A study was andertaken to assess and evaluate the concentrations of the macro- and micro-lements, the heavy and toxic metals, saults, and to determine acidity and conductivity of the Red Sea water and soil a, and the shore water and soil and compare them with results collected from unpolluted area away from this affected area. The results indicated highly significant accumulation of saults, macro ande micro-elements, and heavy and toxic metals in the sea and coastal water and soil compared to the unpolluted site . Out of all Ca, Na and Cl in the sea and shore water expressed no significant differences between the polluted and unpolluted sites. For the sea and shore water the highest concentrations were for Mg, K and P, while for their soil the highest concentrations were for Ca, Mg, K, P, Na and Cl. AS for the heavy metals Cu, Mn, Cr, Al, Zn and Co dominated in the sea and shore water, while for the sea and shore soil the domination was for Cu, Mn, B, Cr and Al. Some of these elements , Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, Cu, Cr and Ni are concentrated at levels above that suggested and recommended by the Metreological Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA), Ministry of Water and Electricity (MWE) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 1985).

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