WATER QUALITY IN THE COASTAL AREA OFALEXANDRIA

WATER QUALITY IN THE COASTAL AREA OFALEXANDRIA
By
OKBAH, M.A.* AND TAVEL, F.T.R..
*Nationallnstitute ofOceanography andFisheries, Kaye! Bey, Alexandria
Key words: Water quality, Chlorophyll-a EI-f\.lex Bay, Abu Qir Bay, Kayet Bey,
Eastern Harbour,
ABSTRACT
Surface water samples were collected seasonally, during 1998from
fourteen stations covering four locations; Abu Qir Bay, Eastern
Harbour, Kayet Bey outfall andEI-Max Bay representing the more
polluted coastal area of Alexandria. pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen
dissolved inorganic nitrogen (NO2, NOs, NH3), total nitrogen, total
phosphorus, reactive phosphate and Chlorophyll-a were determined
in the samples. The anluJai range ofthe surface water pH-value and
salinity in the studied/our coastal areas were (7.55-8.22) and (33.96­
37.87%0), respectively. The surface DO valuesfluctuated between 5.8
mid at EIMar Bayand 8.23 mll at Abu Qir Bay. High annual value
of IN (8-1.59 plvf) was recorded at Kaye! Bey and the maximum
a-f1l1ual content of total phosphorus (2.57 jiM) recorded at Eastern
Harbour: Large alllmaf content ofDIN (25.97 pJvf) was observed at
Abu Qir region. DIN represent one-third of total Nitrogen (IN) in
Abu-Qir water while exhibits only L 6 at Kaye! Bey region. The
annual m~erage concentrations of TP and chlorophyl/-a can be
arranged at the four regions as the following Eastern Harbour>
Kayet Bey outfall> Abu Qir Bay > EI-Max Bay.