AIR POLLUTION IN PORTS AND ITS EFFECT ON CARGO … › ... › IJARET_06_09_003.pdf · Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study) 15

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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology

(IJARET) Volume 6, Issue 9, Sep 2015, pp. 14-25, Article ID: IJARET_06_09_003

Available online at

http://www.iaeme.com/IJARET/issues.asp?JType=IJARET&VType=6&IType=9

ISSN Print: 0976-6480 and ISSN Online: 0976-6499

© IAEME Publication

___________________________________________________________________________

AIR POLLUTION IN PORTS AND ITS

EFFECT ON CARGO OPERATION (ALEX

HARBOUR AS CASE OF STUDY)

Tamer Elgohary

Civil Engineering Dept., Canadian international college, New Cairo, Egypt

Moussa S. El-Bisy

Civil Engineering Dept., Higher Technological Institute, 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt

ABSTRACT

Harbor labor health and their efforts rate is one of the major factors that

affect on cargo operation and its development plans, Labors health can be

affected by many factors such as oxygen lake in surrounding atmosphere due

to air pollution which cause many health problems such as respiratory system

diseases and the weakness of their mutation system. All the previous lead us to

the conclusion that we should control these factors before establishing any

harbor development plans by investigating the surrounding atmosphere and

establishing assessment technique and monitoring system to avoid its serious

negative effects. This research aimed to find the relation between sulfur

dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and suspended particulate matter

existing in air and Alex harbor labors efforts rate in order to find the exact

recommendations for avoiding such problem and to construct reliable

monitoring system for it.

Key words: Air Pollution, Ports, Cargo Operation, Alex Harbor, Dekhila Port.

Cite this Article: Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy. Air Pollution In

Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study).

International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology,

6(9), 2015, pp. 14-25.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJARET/issues.asp?JType=IJARET&VType=6&IType=9

1. INTRODUCTION

The dry air of Egypt and the prevailing inactive winds almost the year increase the air

pollution due the lake of precipitation occurrence. Also the surrounding desert which

contribute almost 90% of Egypt surface area increase the air content of dust.

The increasing of development plans, industrial projects and road vehicles leads to

the increasing of air pollution due to the different gases emissions, Air pollution affect

Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study)


on people health and on work rate in negative way. Many diseases were recorded due

to air pollution such as respiratory system diseases, heart problems and lung cancer.

A comprehensive study was achieved to correlate the relation between harbor

labor effort rate and the air pollution different elements such as sulfur dioxide,

nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and suspended particulate matter ( Alex harbor as

case of study).

To understand which air pollution source has the most significant effect on labor

effort rate and cargo operation. So in order to achieve that we have first to study each

source of air pollution sources individually to find its serious effect on health and

labor effort rate in form of cargo operation progress. Air pollutants in Egypt are

monitored by the National Network for Monitoring Air Pollutants (NNMAP).

NNMAP has 54 stations covering most of the regions exposed to air pollution hazards

to monitor Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO)

and Particulate Matter PM10 as shown in fig (1). The network was initially

established in 1999 to cope with the progressive increase in the sources of

pollution[1].Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs regularly upgrades NNMAP

within the framework of a comprehensive system, observing international standards

of air pollutant monitoring systems and published the stations records data in annual

reports[2], Through these records and by the help of Alexandria port statistics data we

could find the relation between air pollution sources and labor harbor effort rate in

form of cargo operation progress.

Figure 1 National Network for Monitoring Air Pollutants (Delta region)

Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy


2. TYPES OF AIR POLLUTION SOURCES

2.1. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Short term exposure to high level of sulfur dioxide cause health problems. Long term

exposure to high level of sulfur dioxide cause lung function changes. Short term

exposure to low level of sulfur dioxide affect on animal ability to breathe.

2.2. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

Combustion of liquid petroleum fuel under high temperature cause the formation of

nitrogen dioxide. Low level of nitrogen dioxide can cause eyes irritation, lungs

problems, shortness of breath and nausea. Exposure to high level of nitrogen dioxide

can cause rapid buning, spasms, reducing of oxygenation of body tissues and building

up fluids in lung to cause death at the end, it also burns shin and eyes.

2.3. carbon monoxide (CO)

Fuel burning in viechles engines, power stations, factories emissions and burning of

rice straws. The high level of carbon monoxide in air can cause body to replace

oxygen in red blood cells by carbon monoxide and at the end cause death. Exposing to

low level of carbon mono oxide can cause headache , dizziness, weakness, upset

stomach, vomiting, confusion and chest pain.

2.4. Suspended particulate matter (MP10)

Suspended particulate matter (MP10) is caused by air dust which come from

surrounding dessert. It also can be caused by burning of fossil fuel, factories

emissions and rice straws burning. Suspended particulate matter( MP10) have the

ability to penetrate deep into lungs and blood causing permanent DNA mutation , lung

cancer and heart attacks. Ambient Air Quality Limit values as given by Law no.4 for

Egypt (1994) compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality

guideline values is shown in Table (1).

3. DEFICIENCY OF OXYGEN

The oxygen deficiency affect on human body in very negative way such as increasing

levels of hemoglobin as a result of oxygen poor blood. This can thicken the blood and

impair its ability to flow easily.

Figure 2 O2 Deficit and its effect on muscles



The arteries that carry blood from the heart into the lungs sense low oxygen levels

and constrict to direct blood to more normal areas of the lung. This causes pressure in

the pulmonary arteries to rise. The heart responds by dilating and contracting

ineffectively, eventually causing the heart to fail. A common warning sign of this

condition is edema or swelling of the legs [3]. The effect of oxygen deficit in air on

muscles efforts can be shown in fig (2).

Table 1 Ambient Air Quality Limit values as given by Law no.4 for Egypt (1994) compared

to the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline values.

Pollutant Averaging

time

Maximum Limit Value

WHO Egypt

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) 1 hour 500 (10 min) 350

24 hours 125 150

Year 50 60

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 1 hour 200 400

24 hours - 150

Year 40-50

Ozone (O3) 1 hour 150-200 200

8 hours 120 120

Carbon Monoxide (CO) 1 hour 30 000 30 000

8 hours 10 000 10 000

Black Smoke (BS) 24 hours 50 150

Year - 60

Total Suspended Particles (TSP) 24 hours - 230

Year - 90

Particles <10 ppm (PM10) 24 hours 70 70

Lead (Pb) Year 0.5-1,0 1

3.2. Alex harbor description

Figure 3 Alexandia port map



The City of Alexandria is located at the west end of the River Nile between the

Mediterranean Sea and Mariot Lake. It is considered the second most important city

and the main port in Egypt, it handles over three quarters of Egypt’s foreign trade.

Alexandria port consists of two harbors (East and west) separated by a T-shaped

peninsula. The East harbor is shallow and is not used in navigation. The West harbor

is used for commercial shipping. The harbor is formed by two converging

breakwaters.

Alex Harbour as shown in Fig(3) is consists of two ports which are Alexandria

Port and El-Dekheila Port, Alexandria Port water Surface is of 6.8 km2

and its Land

Surface is of 16 km

2, It consists of 67 Berths of total length 10600 m. and its depths

ranges from 8.5 - 16 m which cover hinter land of 1650000 m2 including

administrative buildings & stores.

El-Dekheila Port water Surface is of 2.74 km2

and its Land Surface is of 3.5 km

2 ,

It consists of 14 Berths of total length 7200 m. and its depths ranges from 10 - 20 m

which cover hinter land of 3500000 m2 including administrative buildings & external

area[4].

3.2. Port operation data

Port Traffic during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014 , Ships and cargo traffic in Alexandria and

El Dekhila ports 2014 can be shown from table (2) to table (3) and from fig (4) to fig

(6) [5].

a. Types of Ships

Ports different types of ships passing through it can be shown from table (2).

Table2 Types of ships

Type of the ship Arrival The Ratio of arrival to

%the total

Gen. Cargo ships without containers 599 26

Dry Bulk ships 343 15

Liquid Bulk ships 291 13

Container ships 793 34

Ferries 207 9

Cruises 1 0

Others 93 4

Total 2327 100



Figure 4 Ship types in Alex harbor during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014

b. Handled cargo

Handled cargo during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014 that can be shown in table (3) and in fig

(5).

TABLE 3 Handled cargo during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014

Item Imp. Exp. Total Ratio of the total

Gen. Cargo 3262068 515012 3777080 13

Dry Bulk cargo 13648549 426689 12075238 43

Liquid Bulk cargo 3230750 1227887 4458637 16

Total of non containerized cargo 18141367 2169588 20310955 72

Non containerized general cargo 4617793 3153130 7771923 28

Total 22760160 5322718 28082878 100

Figure 5 Handled cargo in Alex port

0

5000000

10000000

15000000

20000000

25000000

30000000

Non containerized cargo

Dry Bulk cargo Liquid Bulk cargo Total of non containerized cargo

Non containerized general cargo

TOTAL

Total Imp. Exp.

Arrival , Gen. Cargo

ships with out

containers, 599

Arrival , Dry Bulk ships,

343Arrival , Liquid Bulk

ships, 291

Arrival , Container ships,

793

Arrival , RORO, 207

Arrival , Cruises, 1

Gen. Cargo ships with out containers Dry Bulk ships

Liquid Bulk ships Container ships

RORO Cruises



0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2500 2700 2900 3100 3300 3500 3700 3900

SO2

m

icro

gram

/m3

Handling rate Ton/day

Figure 6 Containers Traffic in El Dekhila port

3.3. Containers Traffic

Handled containers in Alexandria and El Dekhila ports during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014

show in table (4) and in fig (6).

Table 4 Handled containers in Alexandria and El Dekhila ports during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014

Item Imp. Exp. Total Ratio of the Total %

Local 4488633 3025495 7514128 97

Transit 130160 127635 257795 3

Total 4618793 3153130 7771923 100

Relations between labor harbor efforts and air pollution

Relations between labor harbor efforts and air pollution during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014

can be shown from fig (7) to fig (14).

Figure 7 Relation between SO2 and daily handling rate in Alex port

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

Imp. Exp. Total

Local Transit Total



0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850

SO2

m

icro

gram

/m3

Handling rate ton/day

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850

NO

2

mic

rogr

am/m

3


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

3500 3600 3700 3800 3900 4000

NO

2

mic

rogr

am/m

3


Figure 8 Relation between SO2 and daily handling rate in Dekhila port

Figure 9 Relation between NO2 and daily handling rate in Alex port

Figure 10 Relation between SO2 and daily handling rate in Dekhila port



0

50

100

150

200

1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850

MP

10

m

icro

gram

/m3


0

50

100

150

200

2500 2700 2900 3100 3300 3500 3700 3900

MP

10

m

icro

gram

/m3


0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850

Co

m

icro

gram

/m3


Figure 11 Relation between MP10 and daily handling rate in Alex port

Figure 12 Relation between MP10 and daily handling rate in Dekhila port

Figure 13 Relation between CO and daily handling rate in Alex port



0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2500 2700 2900 3100 3300 3500 3700 3900

CO

m

icro

gram

/m3

handling rate ( ton/day)

Figure 14 Relation between CO and daily handling rate in Dekhila port

4. RESULT ANALYSIS

As shown from fig (7) to fig (8) the rate of handling for both Alexandria and Dekhila

harbor is decreasing with the increasing of SO2 due the reason that Acute effects of

SO2 to high levels can possibly burn the skin and eyes and may result in permanent

eye damage. High levels may also cause pulmonary edema pulmonary edema (when

the lungs fill up with fluid). This is a true medical emergency since oxygen cannot get

through the fluid so the person may die. S02 can also cause the airway passages in the

lung to narrow resulting in wheezing, chest tightness, or breathing problems." SO2

has caused severe airways obstruction, hypoxemia (insufficient oxygenation of the

blood).

As shown from fig (9) to fig (10) the rate of handling for both Alexandria and

Dekhila harbor is decreasing with the increasing of NO2 due the reason that The

nitrogen gas dissolves slightly in the blood and circulates around the body harmlessly.

Under pressure however the amount dissolved nitrogen increases. If the

decompression is slow and careful, the dissolved nitrogen comes out of the body

fluids and can be removed through the lungs, but, if decompression is too rapid, the

'bends' causes great pain and even death. This decompression sickness is caused by

bubbles of nitrogen rapidly coming out of solution in the bloodstream, That cause

injury and death by depriving the body of oxygen.

As shown from fig (11) to fig (12) the rate of MP10 for both Alexandria and

Dekhila harbor is increasing with the increasing of hand ling rate due the reason that

one of the main sources of MP10 in harbor air is the dust and the minute particles

which is come out from cargo and shipment handling inside ports and the reversible

effects of MP10 on health is long term effects not short one so its effects on health

will take years to be significant.

As shown from fig (13) to fig (14) the rate of handling for both Alexandria and

Dekhila harbor is decreasing with the increasing of CO due the reason that CO2 is 24

times more soluble than O2 in water. Thus, the oxygen content of blood in the

presence of carbon monoxide is much lower.

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/D/decompression_sickness.html



5. CONCLUSIONS

It was noticed that in both Alexandria port and Dekhila port the following facts:

1. MP 10 is increased with daily handling rate and that because of the fact that

MP 10 is caused by mostly the cargo dust, its effect on labor health is taking

much time longer to be noticed in their performance.

2. Daily handling rate is decreased with the increasing of CO , SO2 and No2

and that is due to the following reasons:

Humans breathe nitrogen in and out of their lungs all the time, without any serious

side effects. The nitrogen gas dissolves slightly in the blood and circulates around the

body harmlessly. Under pressure however the amount dissolved nitrogen increases. If

the decompression is slow and careful, the dissolved nitrogen comes out of the body

fluids and can be removed through the lungs, but, if decompression is too rapid, the

'bends' causes great pain and even death. This decompression sickness is caused by

bubbles of nitrogen rapidly coming out of solution in the bloodstream, That cause

injury and death by depriving the body of oxygen.

b- Acute effects of S02 to high levels can possibly burn the skin and eyes and may

result in permanent eye damage. High levels may also cause pulmonary edema

pulmonary edema (when the lungs fill up with fluid). This is a true medical

emergency since oxygen cannot get through the fluid so the person may die.S02 can

also cause the airway passages in the lung to narrow resulting in wheezing, chest

tightness, or breathing problems." SO2 has caused severe airways obstruction,

hypoxemia (insufficient oxygenation of the blood).

CO2 is 24 times more soluble than O2 in water. Thus, the oxygen content of blood in

the presence of carbon monoxide is much lower.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Decreasing the percentage of sulfur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen

dioxide, suspended solids, leads and black smoke in Alexandria port air.

2. Constructing monitoring system inside Alexandria port to detect any air

composition changes and to give recommendations to avoid such problem.

3. Establishing especial legislations and rules for ports to give more control of

ship engines fuel combustion.

4. Activate the environmental Law no.4 for Egypt (1994) to control surrounding

urban and industrial area emissions which contribute in ports air pollution.

5. Create strong medical insurance system in order to cover all labors in all port

sectors to provide annual a comprehensive health examination which will

give good a alert for any common Epidemiological phenomena.

6. A study of water pollution effect on labor health and also on cargo handling

operation inside Alexandria port.

7. A study of soil pollution effect on food chain and on labor health which will

give significant reflect on cargo handling operation inside Alexandria port.

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/D/decompression_sickness.html



REFRENCES

[1] Air Quality Monitoring Report, 2014, Environmental Monitoring Center of

MOHD.

[2] Air quality Monitoring Report, 2014, Environmental Information and

Monitory Program-Environment Quality Sector.

[3] Weber R. E., Fago A. (2004). Functional adaptation and its molecular basis in

vertebrate hemoglobins, neuroglobins and cytoglobins. Respir. Physiol.

Neurobiol. 144, 141–159 10.1016/j.resp.2004.04.018.

[4] Alexandria Port Authority website-www.apa.gov.eg .

[5] K. Raghava Rao, Monika Vallabhaneni, Srikanth Narayanaraju, Rajendra

Kumar Jonnalagadda and Sunilkumar Kanaparthi, Energy Efficient Intrusion

Detection System For WSN, International Journal of Electronics and

Communication Engineering &Technology, 5(5), 2014, pp. 56-63.

[6] Alexandria Port Authority – General Department of Information Center

report-operation status report 2014.

[7] Dr. Lakshminarayanachari. K. Time – Dependent Two Dimensional

Mathematical Model of Air Pollution Due To Area Source with Settling

Velocity and Transformation Processes of Primary and Secondary Pollutants.

International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology,

4(6), 2013, pp. 269-277.

[8] S. Paliwala, H.Chandra and A. Tripathi, Investigation and Analysis of Air

Pollution Emitted From Thermal Power Plants: A Critical Review,

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering & Technology, 3(2), 2012,

pp. 32-37.

http://www.apa.gov.eg/

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AIR POLLUTION IN PORTS AND ITS EFFECT ON CARGO … › ... › IJARET_06_09_003.pdf · Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study) 15