Evaluation of Different Anthropogenic Effluents Impacts on the Water Quality Using Principal Component Analysis: A Case Study of Abu-Qir Bay-Alexandria-Egypt

Abstract

Background: The growing increase in Egyptian population, as well as urbanization expansion; lead to a corresponding increase in industrial, agriculture, urban effluents that discharged into the aquatic environment of Egypt. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the alteration occurred in some water quality characteristics of different water bodies subjected to different types of pollutants. Methods: Different physicochemical parameters, nutrient salts, total dissolved copper, and total dissolved carbohydrate were measured according to advanced experimental methods and analytical techniques. Results: The results of the hydrochemical parameters revealed that the temperature ranges for Abu-Qir drain waste water and Abu-Qir Bay seawater were normal. The values of salinity for waste water and seawater were (0.19-0.43‰) and (30.2-32.2‰), respectively which are much lower than that of the Mediterranean seawater (38.50‰) due to the discharge of huge amounts of fresh waters into Abu-Qir Bay. The pH values varied from one drain to another according to the geographical position and the amount of waste waters discharged into the area. Dissolved oxygen for waste water and seawater are ranged from a complete depletion to 9.42 mg/l and from 4.53to 4.87mg/l, respectively. On the meantime the range values of oxidizable organic matter for waste water and seawater were 21.6-84.0mg/l and 14.4-42.4mg/l, respectively reflecting the high loads of organic matters added into Abu-Qir drain from different companies. On the other hand, the range values of ammonia varied between 10.20 and 95.6µM for waste water and between 7.50 and 10.10µM for seawater; respectively leading to eutrophication problems in the Bay. The nitrite for waste water and seawater were 2.60-32.40µM and 5.33-6.30µM, respectively, while the range values of nitrate for waste water and seawater were 0.74-36.74µM and 3.51-13.51µM; respectively. The range values of phosphate for waste water were 3.36-21.36µM, while it was 1.30-11.62µM for seawater. It is found that the amount of phosphate in the seawater is small compared to that of waste waters. Generally speaking, the waste and seawaters of the investigated area exhibited high silicate concentrations. Dissolved copper concentrations in Abu-Qir drain and Abu-Qir Bay ranged from 2.80 to 11.58µg/l and from 4.80 to 5.68µg/l; respectively. The range values of TDCHO for wastewater was 0.16-0.92µg/l and for seawater was 0.77-3.15µg/l. Conclusion: It is concluded from factor analysis (FA) that the investigated hydrochemical parameters are the major controlling factors in the distribution patterns of copper and TDCHO in both Abu-Qir drain and Abu-Qir Bay affecting seriously their water quality.

Fluctuations of some Physico-chemical parameters with depth in the Egyptian Mediterranean waters off Alexandria during winter 2016

“…2(b-f). The present results are in agreement with those of the previous studies (Shaltout et al, 2014;Shreadah et al, 2014;Abdel-Halim et al, 2016;Shreadah et al, 2019).…”

“…The present study results (Table 3) revealed that, the overall average values of pH at all sectors are slightly higher than those measured at Abu-Qir Bay sector (Shreadah et al, 2019). Higher pH values suggest that carbon dioxide, carbonate-bicarbonate equilibrium is more affected due to changes in physicochemical condition (Karanth, 1987).…”

Red algae natural products for prevention of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced liver and kidney inflammation and injuries

“…As a matter of fact, they produce a broad variety of unique potent substances, which include among others, carotenoids, terpenoids, xanthophylls, chlorophylls, phycobilins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polysaccharides, vitamins etc. exhibiting potential beneficial use and stable properties for therapeutic use with low potential toxicity including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiallergenic, antiaging and antiwrinkling effects and ultraviolet protection [ 5 , 6 , 25–28 ]. Moreover, the high level of minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, indigestible carbohydrates and polyphenols, as well as their bioactive metabolites in the red algae and their relatively easy cultivation makes them attractive [ 30 ].…”

A comparison of physical disturbance and pollution stressors in sandy beaches using nematode functional biological traits

“…The Alexandrian coast is highly vulnerable to beach erosion, sea-level rise, rip currents, and anthropogenic activities (Soliman et al 2014;Masria et al 2015). The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA 2015) declares two marine pollution hotspots, Abo-Qir Bay and El-Mex Bay, along the northern coast of Egypt due to their receiving mixtures of variable pollutants (Shreadah et al 2014(Shreadah et al , 2019. In these bays, the high levels of chlorinated organic compounds, hydrocarbon oil, and heavy metal pollution can be found (Khairy et al 2012;El Nemr et al 2013).…”