Study of Pollution in Mediterranean Sea El-Gamal, Yousry ...€¦ · El-Gamal, Yousry & Bayoumi, Mohamed Engineering & Technology Collage, Arab Academy for Science & Technology, Alexandria-

Study of Pollution in Mediterranean Sea

El-Gamal, Yousry & Bayoumi, Mohamed

Engineering & Technology Collage, Arab Academy for Science &

Technology, Alexandria- Egypt.

Abstract

This study represents the early outcomings of a research maritime trip in theMediterranean sea. This trip was conducted by the training vessel of the ArabAcademy for Science & Technology in June 1996 starting from Alexandria port.The vessel course passed Lattaquie port in Syria and the port of Napoli in Italyand terminated at Alexandria.

A specially designed log was used to sample 1012 surface samples during thistrip. These samples are prepared to be analyzed for three objectives; Pollution byhydrocarbons, heavy metals pollution and radioactive survey. The actual workrepresents the outcomings of the hydrocarbons pollution state along this trip.

1. Introduction

Pollutant substances entering the marine environment have increased due tothe rapid growth of technology and population activities.

Generally, the sources of solid wastes introduced to the sea are mainlycoming from garbage, wreckage and by-products of solid wastes. Radioactivewastes are coming from nuclear power plants used in power generation andmilitary activities. Heat pollution is resulting from heat exchanges and fromcooling system wastes. Sewage is resulting from sanitary drainage whichcontains the human and the animal wastes. Chemical wastes are resulting fromnoxious chemicals of industrial activities. Oil wastes are resulting from noxious,industrial and domestic wastes on land and also from shipping activities in thesea. Most of the mentioned pollutants are mainly coming from industrial anddomestic activities by man on the land which finally find their way to the sea.The main source of marine pollution is coming from shipping transportation andassociated activities such as operational discharges, bunkering, docking and shipaccidents... etc.

Oil is considered as the most serious type of pollution, this is because oil isvery widely used in most industrial, urban and domestic activities on the land andin the sea. So, the possibility that oil would spill in the sea is more than any othertype of pollutant.

The degree of risk by oil is not always proportional to the volume or thequantity of spilled oil, but it depends on some factors such as: wind, tide,

Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 14, © 1997 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541

206 Water Pollution

temperature and others environmental conditions. It also depends on theproperties of oil such as; its toxicity, solubility, density, volatility,biodegradability, etc.

Oil has destroying effects to the marine biota and the biological life. It hastoxicity effects on some sea's animals and aquatic plants and consequentlydestroy the natural resources in the sea.However, the biological and medical effects of oil pollution on the marine life

and the man is beyond the scope of this work.Oil pollution destroys commercial fisheries, beaches and affects tourism

activities.In Egypt, it was noticed in the last years that the sea catch in Egyptian coast

in Mediterranean sea is decreased. Also it can be observed that the water colorwas changed. Many studies were carried out to examine this pollution problemand specially oil pollution [1, 2, 3].

The actual study was planed to measure the extent of pollution in some areasin the Mediterranean sea to be able to estimate the situation in the Egyptianports and coasts.

2. The Study

A trip was conducted by the training vessel of the Arab Academy for Science& Technology in June 1996 starting from Alexandria port.

The vessel started navigation June 14. 1996 from Alexandria and reachedLattaquie port in Syria in June 17. After two days of stay the vessel took newheading to Napoli in Italy. Berth at Napoli port was done in June 22. The backhome leg started in June 26 to reach the Alexandria sheltered area in June 30.The details of the trip are represented on Figure (1).

A specially designed log was used to sample 1012 surface samples during thistrip. These samples are prepared to be analyzed for three objectives; pollution byhydrocarbons, heavy metals pollution and radioactive survey. The actual workrepresents the outcomings of the hydrocarbons pollution state along this trip.

Gas Chromatography (GC) evolved as an accepted oil fingerprintingtechnique during the 1970s. The initial use involved packed column technologyand the use of both a Flame lonization Detector (FID) to fingerprint the normalalkane distributions and a Flame Photometric Detector (FPD) to fingerprint thesulfur distributions.

The development of capillary columns for gas chromatography provided anincrease in resolution of the separated eluants and substantially an increase in theability to use only the FID fingerprint to distinguish oils of similar types.

It should be pointed out, that gas chromatography is a science of separatingcompounds in their vapor phase on liquid column coating. The FID is simply adetector to monitor the separation of the oil components.

This method uses a gas chromatographic capillary column for the separationof petroleum hydrocarbons and detection of these compounds using a flameionization detector (FID). The separation of the hydrocarbons is based on the


Water Pollution 207

partitioning of molecular species between an inert carrier gas (helium) and thestationary liquid phase coating the interior walls of the capillary column. Thisprocess essentially separates the injected petroleum oil hydrocarbon mixture inthe approximate order of their boiling points. The separated components, as theyelute off the column, are detected by a flame ionization detector.

The distribution of hydrocarbons is recorded (plotted) as they elute from thecolumn as a series of peaks or verticals. The relative retention times of theseparated compounds forms the characteristic chromatogram for that particularoil.

Samples were prepared for analysis by extracting all of the dissolved anddispersed oil in the sample container from the water and the other substratespresent by high grade cyclohexane solvent from the surface layer.

The oil-cyclohexane solution (unknown concentration) was concentrated andthen placed in for analysis by (GC/FID) in order to obtain a suitable gaschromatogram

The operation of the gas chromatography is under computer control. Theoperating program is TURBOCHROM v4, a user friendly system, developed byPERKIN ELMER corporation.

The experimental conditions are given in table below.

L

2.

3.

4.

5,

6.

7.

8.

9.

10

11

12

Initial Oven Temperature

Initial Hold Time

Filial Oven Temperature

Final Hold Time

Equilibration Time

Oven Program Rate

Column Head Pressure

Injector Port Temperature

Detector Manifold Temperature

. Carrier Gas Make Up Flow

. Hydrogen Gas Flow

. Air Flow

40 degrees C

4 minutes

350 degrees C

60 minutes

3 minutes

8 degrees C/min.

15psig

250 degrees C

300 degrees C

30 mL/min.

30 mL/min.

300 mL/min.

3. Results & Discussion

The results are presented as a function between the detected component"Response"; Rinmv against the retention time RT in min.

This response is proportional to the electric conductivity of the detectedcomponent concentration. The retention time is the residence time of suchcomponent in the column of analysis. The heavier components have largerretention time and vice versa.


208 Water Pollution

The samples were analyzed by the above mentioned method and technique.Only 535 samples were considered for analysis.

A blank sample analysis was carried out. This represents the analysis of thesolvent of extraction which is the cyclohexano figure(2-a). The fingerprints ofthis solvent will appear in all analysis as a band of long verticals which appearbetween nearly 2 and 3 min. of retention time. A back ground sample was takenas an "open sea water" sample, this gives a clear bleeding curve as shown infigure (2-b). The open sea samples were taken as a mixture of the samples fromnumber 218 to 399. Those samples come from a sea area facing the Greece andItalian coasts at approximately from 5 to 40 miles from the shore. Such areaobserved by eye was supposed to be probably clean. The experimental analysisfor this sample exhibited no oil pollution in this area up to the sensitivity of theanalyzer.

Fifteen mixes were prepared to group the selected 535 samples. Many othersamples were excluded as supposed to have clean open sea conditions. Thesamples were taken always from the starboard side at the prow of the vessel.This position was selected to be far from any pollution which may probablyattributed to the vessel itself.

Samples from 1 to 5: Those samples were taken at the berth of the vessel inAlexandria port as shown in figure (3).

The results of the analysis of those samples are represented on figure (4-a). Itshowed verticals from the beginning to the end of heating range the analyzingcolumn. Those verticals extend from 0-3 5 mm. retention time. This means thatthose samples contain nearly all oil components; light and heavy. In other words,this area is highly and continuously polluted by oil.

Sample from 5 to 9: Those samples were taken along the course from berthto the outlet of the sheltered area of the port of Alexandria.

The results of their analysis are given on figure (4 -b). It can be easily noticedthat this area is highly polluted by oil. Only heavier oil components arerepresented. This means that the polluted oil in this area is left for longer timeenough to evaporate the lighter components.

Samples from 10 to 15: Those represent the mix of samples taken in theterritorial waters of Egypt along the distance from Alexandria to territorial.Those samples represents the average of the Egyptian territorial waters. Theresults are represented on figure (4-c). It can be seen that some heavycomponents but at lower concentration are still existed.

Samples from 16 to 75: Those samples were taken on crossing the territorialwaters of Israel, Lebanon and Syria. The water appearance in this segment of thevoyage justifies the equal mixing from all those sample in one mix The results ofthis mix is presented on figure (5-a). Very low level of oil pollution wasdetected. This minimal pollution lies in the range of heavy components; whichmay be a spill rejected from a very long time.


Water Pollution 209

Samples form 179 to 193: From those samples, equal quantities are taken togive an average mix for the Syrian territorial water. The results given on figure(5-b) show a lone vertical for a medium density oil component.

Samples from 194 to 197: Those samples which were equally mixed in onemix give the results given on figure (5-c). The medium and heavy componentsappear at low concentrations.

Samples from 198 to 206: Those samples are taken on entering the shelteredarea of Lattaquie port to the berth location figure (6). The whole band of oilpollution is remarked from this mix analysis as given on figure (7-a). Theconcentration of this pollution is small with respect to that observed on leavingAlexandria port. This concentration could be regarded as to be relatively highwhen taking into consideration the actual observed very low maritime trafficcompared to Alexandria port.

Samples from 207 to 217: Those samples were taken on leaving Lattaquieport to near the Cyprus island. Results are given on figure (7-b) show heavycomponents. This is probably logic due to the heavy traffic in this comer ofMediterranean sea.

Samples from 214 to 217: Those are samples near Cyprus island. The resultson figure (7-c) show nearly the same components of the previous mix

Samples from 218 to 399: Those sample are regarded as open sea samples.Traces of pollution are remarked for the samples from 218 to 224 as shown onfigure (8-a). The rest of samples showed nearly no oil pollution as given onfigure (8-b), (8-c) and (9-a).

Samples from 430 to 434: Those are the samples taken on approaching Capryof Italy. Heavy components are remarked from the result of the mix as given onfigure (9-b). This could be logic because this area leads to the anchorage areafor the port of Napoli.

Samples from 438 to 447: Those samples were taken in the anchorage areafacing the port of Napoli. The results of mix given on figure (9-c) and (10-a)show that this anchorage area is polluted. The existence of the light componentsproves that the crossing vessels do no take the required measures to avoidspilling oil at sea in the vicinity of the port of Napoli figure (11).

The observation by eye proved a high level of oil pollution. For this reasonthe samples from 459 to 463 were analyzed separately. Those samples show, asgiven on figure (12), a pollution of all oil components.

Samples from 464 to 489: Those samples were taken on leaving the port ofNapoli. Figure (13-a), (13-b) and (13-c) show a decrease of the oil pollution onleaving the port of Napoli.

Sample from 490 to 500: Those samples were taken at open sea during thehome back leg to Alexandria.

The analysis of this mix showed clean sea water as given on figure (14-a).Samples from 501 to 510: Those samples were taken on entering the

Egyptian territorial water from the west. It can be seen from figure (14-b) thatthe oil pollution began to appear.


270 Water Pollution

Samples from 511 to 520: Those samples were taken on navigating parallel tothe Egyptian coast from the west at an average distance of 10 miles. As shownfrom figure (14-c) the oil pollution still exists.

Samples from 520 to 535: Those sample were taken on approaching thesheltered area of Alexandria port from the west. Figure (15-a) shows that thepollution increases. This pollution probably comes from many inshore andoffshore petroleum industries recently located at the north coast of Egypt.

4. Conclusions:

1. The oil pollution in the Mediterranean sea was found in the water area of theports and in territorial water in spite of all the international waterconvictions.

2. Concerning the Egyptian territorial waters, the oil pollution exists at highconcentration. It can be shown that the eastern part of the territorial watersof Egyptian north coasts are more polluted than the western part of theterritorial waters of the Egyptian north coasts. A revision for pollutionprevention measures must be done for all inshore and offshore companiesrelated to those areas.

AcknowledgmentThanks to Captain Hosam Taha and Chemist Mohamed Yousef for their greathelp.

Reference1. Pollution Status of Abu-Kir Bay , Final Report of the Academy of Scienceand Technology- Mediterranean Branch- Alexandria 1984.

2. Osman El-Rayis, Massoud Saad and Fatma El-Nady. Level and Changes inStorage of Some Trace metals in Alexandria Eastern Harbour. Pro. 5th Int.Conf; "Environmental Protection is a Must" Alexandria, Egypt. 25-27April 1995.

3. A. El-Demerdash and A.M. Fakhry. Species Diversity in the habitat types ofthe delatic Mediterranean Coastal region of Egypt. Pro. 5th Int. Conf;"Environmental Protection is a Must", Mansoura University, Egypt. 25 - 27April 1995.


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Study of Pollution in Mediterranean Sea El-Gamal, Yousry ...€¦ · El-Gamal, Yousry & Bayoumi, Mohamed Engineering & Technology Collage, Arab Academy for Science & Technology, Alexandria-