TOTAL ALKALINITY, CARBONATE AND SPECIATION OF BICARBONATE IN FRONT OFALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

TOTAL ALKALINITY, CARBONATE AND SPECIATION OF

BICARBONATE IN FRONT OFALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

BY

D. H. YOUSSEF*
*National InstitUTe ojOceanography and Fisheries. Alexandria. Egypt
Key words: Alkalinity, bicarbonate, carbonate, lake water, seawatel’,
ABSTK4CT
During lhe period from Feb11iG1Y to August 2000. suiface waTer
samples were collected from five d(fferent locations. four from the
A1editen-anean inshore waters along the Alexandria coast (J’..-astefl1
Harbour. Kayet hey. EI-}~/fex bay and El-kilo ::1). ·…hile the last is from
Lake Edku. These regions are subjected 10 land-nmoff Samples )I’ere
analy=ed for total alkalinity. carbonate and bicarbonate. Caiclilan’on
oj specific alkalinity was done, The concentrarions of bicarbonate
l’aried between 18-1. -12 and ·rl8.-I2 mg I for Lake Edlw and j 11. 30 to
326.28 mg i for the inshore waters. The results were inre/preted in
terms of factors affecting the sites. For both Lake Edku and the
inshore walers. (he ma;timU111 average ratios of spec~fic alkalinity
(j~, 737=0.580 and 0.615=0. j 20 respeCTively) were recorded at
regions affected by the drainage water.
Computer equilibrium modelling was also done. and the
calculated bicarbonate species were discussed. The modelling studies
show that the free ion HC03- and the ion pairs NaHCO_,o and
lvlgHCO_,-are (he main forming bicarbonate species. In all the studied
walers. the free ion HCO}- is the dominant species.