GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE INNER-SHELF SEDIMENTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN RED SEA, EGYPr,.

GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE INNER-SHELF SEDIMENTS IN THE
NORTHWESTERN RED SEA, EGYPr,.
NAWAR, A.H. AND E.M. DEGHED¥
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries,
Alexandria, Egypt.
ABSTRACT
Th. Inner·.h.lf of the northwest.rn Red S.e In between Re. Jams!
et the north end Ollhet EI-O'” “~t et the .outh I. covered
with e moderet.ly to poorly sorted .andI. Th. organic cerbon
content of th••••andI verles fr~ 1.. to 0.21X with en ev.reg.
of 0.43%. Th. I.est .-aunt of organic cerbon I. recorded in Olsh.t
EI-Debee enbayment. Th. total phosphorus content In these sends
renges betw.en 123 end 8711 Ug/g ’11th an everag. of 271” Ug/g. The
IIIIlOl.rlt of Inorganic phosphorus In sedl..-.t. is lIIllr. than thr.e
tl_s .. IIIJCh as organic phosphorus In these sediments.
Terrestrial inorgenlc phOlphOl’Ul Is responSible for the total
pho.phorus In .edlment. of the lmer-.h.lf of the northwest.rn Red
Sea. Inorganic phosphorus content d-.crea.e. In sedi….,t.
northwerds. The fine clJst of phosphete rock felt fng to the bottom
of the See during loedl,. of .hlpe with crude phosphate rock at
port of Sefaga e. welt .. the ….t. resultl,. fr~ processl,.
(.ortl,. and purification) of the phosphate rock nearby 58fage are
the _In source. of inorganic phosphorus to the bott~ .ediments In
the northwest.rn lmer-ahelf of the Red…. Th. total carbonat.
content verle. between 11.ax end 91.ax ’11th en average of 58. IX.
The cerbonate. off Hurgade Merlne Blologlcel StetIon ere ..inly
cOftPOSed of blogeneous orl,In, while cerbonat.. et J.-se Bey and
Ol.h.t EI’08bee ar••Iaed bloeaneoua 8nd terrestrial In orl,In.
IHTRODUC