Dr. ABDUL NABI AL-GHADBAN

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research 5/6/2012

Contents  Introduction: location NW of the AG  Impact of this location on the environment of Kuwait  Kuwait coastal and Marine environment  The Islands  Kuwait Bay  Southern Area  External Risks and Impacts: reduction of fresh water input, rehabilitation of the Iraqi marshes, Nuclear PP of Iran, exotic species, LBS of pollutants  Recent studies at KISR  Potential threats and or risks  Recommendations

اليوم العالوي لنظن الوعلوهات الجغرافية International Geographic InformationDr. Hamdy Systems El-Gamily Day 2008 Kuwait Environment I R A Q I R A N 32 °   



30°

KUWAIT

28° A heavy dust turbidity  The mean dust turbidity The moderate dust turbidity The direction of the dust, sand streams  Dust storms and vortices 48° 51°

Low vegetation cover with high The dust storms are associated with wind speed from the North West considerable amount of suspended generates several dust storms that particulates as well some pollutants that adversely impact the condition in are adsorbed to such particles. the area. Water Circulation

Iraq N

Kuwait Low Energy Iran

100 km

Bahrain

Qatar

Abu Dhabi

Saudi Arabia UAE Oman 1991 Gulf war oil releases sources locations (Source: Ecology & Environment and Dr J.M. Al- Hassan, 1994)

Coastal Geomorphology Location map of Kuwait Bay

N Kuwait

KB is an elliptically shape I R A N 28o embayment that protrudes BAHRAIN

from the Arabian Gulf in QATAR S A U D I

A R A B I A 24o

westward direction at its UNITED ARAB OMAN 100 km EMIRATES northwestern corner. 48o 52o 56o

It covers an area of about 750 km2 1989

2003

29° 40` N Bubiyan Island

Nutrients Arabian Gulf Arabian Metals

Subiya

Low stressed areas 29° 30`

Highly stressed areas

Ras Kathman Doha Rain Sewers Emergency Sewers Doha  east Ras Al Ajuzh Fish farming Ash Shuwaikh  Doha east 29° 20` Ras al Ardh Al-Ajahra Ports Marinas 0 km 10 Kuwait City  Recreation Oil and Gas industry

47° 40` Power-stations and desalination plant

48° 00` 48° 20` 29° 40` Bubiyan Island Ras

Arabian Arabian

Himar

Gulf

 Subiya

- Az 29° Jal Zor 30`

Failaka

Ras Kathman

Doha west Al-Akaz Ras Al Doha Ash Ajuzh Shuwaikh Ras al 29° Al-Ajahra east 20` Sulaibikhat Ardh Bay 0 km 10 Kuwait City

47° 40` 48° 00` 48° 20` 29° 40` Bubiyan Island

N Arabian Gulf

Subiya

29° Zone D 30` Zone B Zone C Ras Kathma Doha Zone A n Doha east Ras Al Doha Ash Ajuzh Shuwaikh 29° Al-Ajahra east Ras al 20` Ardh

0 km 10 Kuwait City

47° 40` 48° 00` 48° 20` Area Types of Activities Types of Pollution Priorities for rehabilitations

 Zone A: Sewage input, Power Plant, Desalination, Nutrients, heavy metals, hydrocarbon, thermal 1st Priority Suliabekhat Bay Hydrocarbon, heavy metal pollution.  Zone B: Recreation, Transportation, desalination and 2nd Priority Doha Port power plant. Hydrocarbon, heavy metal pollution. rd  Zone C: Recreation, Transportation, sewage 3 Priority Shuwaikh Port Suspended solid, Hydrocarbon, heavy metals, th  Zone D: Fish-farming, Oil activities agricultural pollution 4 Priority Northern and northwestern sector Heavy Metals

Levels of heavy metals in the sediments of Kuwait Bay comparing with Canadian Guideline and Dubai Creek

Concentration (ppm) Kuwait Bay SQ Guidelines Dubai Creek (Canada) Cadmium 7.73 - 22.83 0.6 - 10 3.38 - 7.2 Nickel 41.35 - 140.07 16 - 75 34.5 - 39 Lead 4.96 - 22.53 31 - 250 35.8 - 53.5 Mercury 0.03 - 0.06 0.2 - 2.0 ND Chromium 58 26.0 - 110 ND Copper 27 16.0 - 110 ND Manganese 481 460 - 1100 ND Sewage “Suliabikhat Bay” 2005 29° 40` Bubiyan Island

 Arabian Gulf

Subiya

Medira 29° 30` 1 Ras Asherge3 Ras Ajuzah Ras Al- 5 6Arahd Ras Shuwaikh KathmanDoha 4 2 Doha west Al- Ras Al Doha Ash SulaibikhatAkaz Ajuzh 29° east Shuwaikh Ras al Ardh 20` Al-Ajahra Bay

0 km 10 Kuwait City

12 47° 40` 48° 00` 48° 20`

6 mg/l 4 Z 01 Z 02 Z 03 2 Z 04 Z 05 Z 06

S S A S S A S S A S S A S S A S S A S S A S S A S S A W W W W W W W W W 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Lithofacies map of the marine bottom Biolithofacies map of the marine bottom sediments (Al Yamani at al, 2004). sediment (after Al Yamani et al, 2004). The coastal area exhibits variety of activities Such activities are ranging from marinas, power plants, coastal reclamation, fishing, etc.

Coral reefs Port and Navigation routs Desalination plants

Chalets Recreational Salinity

Average Salinity values vary seasonally from 36.3 to 43.6ppt, with minimum salinities most often observed in May. Nutrients Human and Urban Development on the coastal area

Port Sewage outlet

Power and Desalinization Northern Plant Residential Area Proposed Aquaculture

Recreational Area

Industrial area

Recreational and Industrial Area

Rapid population growth along the coastal region as a result of oil booming period is imposing an increasing pressure on the coastal ecosystem as more untreated municipal wastewater being dumped into the coastal area through more than 12 inlets. Oil Pollution Pollution from Ships Desalination & Power Impacts of Regional Plants Wars

7 6

8 1

17 20

27 26 25 39 24 30 79 37

56 78 53 58 72 51 66

Legend: 2006, 2001 and 1992 2006 or 2001 or 1992 2006 only 1992 (Mt.Mitchell) only No sediment sample Sampling sites during the marine cruises TPH (fluo)

TPH (fluo) TPH (fluo)

TPH (fluo)

TPH (fluo) TPH (fluo)

PAHs

TPH (fluo)

Legend: 2006 and 2001 2006 or 2001 2006 only

“Hot-spots” of TPH and PAHs in the Gulf 2 Results of ROPME’s 26 contaminant survey in 2005 14

14 13 TPH concentration 251 10 in the sediment:

mg ROPME Oil / kg

16 Temporal Changes in the Marshes of Southern Iraq

1972 1990 1997 Marshlands Of Mesopotamia

1973 - 1976 2000 مدى األنتشار تأثري الرياح السائده Recommedations from the 2004 study” Al- Yamani et al 2004”  1. Ensure sustainable developments in the marine environment.  2. Establishment of a concerned authority for coastal zone and marine planning.  3. Trust fund to support public awareness  4.Kuwait, through its membership in ROPME, should encourage sustainable developments related to the area around Shatt- Al-Arab and also to actions related to the rehabilitation of the Iraqi marshes  5. Implement and enforcement of the law related to the establishment and management of the marine parks.

 6. Prevent the existence of exotic species from the ballast waters through the implementation of IMO resolution; establishment of reception facilities.  7. Control the by-catch  8. Implement the law related the prevention of TBT.  9. Support the implementation of Integrated Coastal zone management.  10. More effort to keep the integrity of coral reefs in the area.  11. Establish a monitoring plan that includes biological and toxicological studies.

Contents  12. Monitoring the coastal area to ensure its safety from the effect of industrial effluents, untreated sewage, and effluent water from the power and desalination plants.  13. More work should be done to ensure water quality in 2 areas; Al-shuwaikh and Al-Shuiaba.  14. Assessment of the above actions every 5 years.

Environmental Management Program – Policy and Applied Research

Reporting environmental information to the Government (EPA) To regulate environmental Data/Info - Assessment Manage Goals and ecosystem 1 health in Kuwait Characterization of pollutants, Identification of environmental stressors in Design effective pollution sources in Kuwait Environmental Quality/Pollution policy measures, indicators regulatory Identify and assess emerging standards pollutants Develop and 2 strengthen Fate and transport environmental Study, assess environmental of pollutants Tailor-made pollution weathering processes monitoring/ regulations assessment tailor-made for 3 strategies for the Kuwaiti Kuwait conditions, Develop monitoring strategies Environmental considering impact and risk international assessments practices Toxicity and environmental Decision support safety evaluation 4 tools for management of Management of waste emissions/ Adopt, develop decision waste disposals disposals support tools for environmental pollution control

Methodology transfer to stakeholders 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2020 2025 2030

Project EM-1:– Environmental indicators (biological and Project EM-1 1 Identification of new chemical) and their advanced monitoring for emerging environmental pollution characterization ecosystem functioning in the marine indicators; updating the list of and terrestrial environment Project EM-2a Project EM-2b priority pollutants for Kuwait; and strengthening and upgrading Project EM-2 environmental regulations and the a:- Building the capacity to fulfill data requirements of related advanced monitoring the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Project EM-3 strategies Pollutants (POPs) b:– Occurrence and environmental concentrations of oil, non-oil and emerging pollutants in Kuwait’s environment Project EM-3:– Spatial-temporal characterization airborne 2 Environmental weathering pollutants, land-surface temperatures, hydrocarbon Project EM-4 processes affecting the fate of pollution using remote sensing (satellite imageries) new emerging pollutants and the transport processes; contribution Project EM-4:– Environmental weathering of petroleum Project EM-5 to the revision of regulations and hydrocarbons and emerging pollutants in Kuwait’s redesign monitoring programs marine and terrestrial environments Project EM-5:– Advanced monitoring approaches for characterization of pollutant transport (atmospheric and 3 Toxicological testing of new land-based), including trans-boundary pollution Project EM-6 emerging pollutants in the Project EM-6:– Eco-toxicological testing of oil, non-oil environment; their impacts on the and emerging pollutants under the Kuwaiti ecosystem functioning, and environmental conditions in the marine and terrestrial carrying out EIA and risk Project EM-7 environment assessment studies Project EM-7:– Impacts of crude oil and its weathering breakdown products on the ecosystem functioning in the 4 Regularly upgrade waste terrestrial (desert) environment Project EM-8 disposal practices; update and Project EM-8:– Integrated approach for treatment and strengthen control regulations by disposal of solid and hazardous wastes in secured advanced decision support tools landfills, and remediation of contaminated sites Project EM-9 for pollution control under the Kuwaiti conditions Project EM-9:– Decision support tools for environmental pollution control, waste disposals into the marine and terrestrial environments: site selection for landfills

Focus of the program during 2012 – 2015 • POP’s in environment

•Ocean Acidification and Climate Change – Laboratory Simulation using in situ mesocosm and change in rate of calcification.

•Marine Pollution indicators, Toxicity and bioindicators

•Radionuclide’s food chain transfer for dose calculation

•Trans-boundary transport of pollutants, including PM2.5 and associated chemicals and their health implications

2 Coprostanol/Cholesterol Ratio Coprostanol/Cholesterol

0 Present (22/2/2010) KEPA 2 (10/2/2010)

KEPA 1 (10/11/2009)

Gevao (2006) Fintas Maseela Al-Omran (1998) Al-Aqsa Street Bida Fresh water addition from Precipitation using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission

• Precise spatial and temporal measurement of Precipitation

•Accuracy is 0.7 mm/hr

•Input to hydrologic cycle, Atmospheric deposition of 3H, acidic input to marine environment Taweel Salmi KISR

100 120 160

90 140 100 80 120 70 80 100 60 50 60 80

40 60

40 Rainfall in Millimeter

30 Millimeter in Rainfall

Rainfall in Millimeter 40 20 20 20 10 0 0 0 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 Months Months Months Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate

Mutla Azor Wafra

120 120 120

100 100 100

80 80 80

60 60 60

40 40 40

Rainfall in Millimeter

Rainfall in Millimeter Rainfall in Millimeter in Rainfall

20 20 20

0 0 0 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 Months Months Months

Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate

Haiman Subbiya

90 120 80 Satellite Precipitation advantages are: 100 70 •Continuous Spatial data for entire 60 80

50 60 region 40 40 30 •No Temporal gaps

20 Millimeter inRainfall 20

Precipitation in Millimeter • Accuracy is 0.7 mm/hr 10 0 0 1 6 11 16 21 26 31 36 41 46 51 56 61 66 71 76 81 86 91 96 •Free of cost 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 Months Months Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate Rain Gauge TRMM Estimate

Comparison between the gauge measurement and bi-linear weighted interpolation estimate from TRMM data 50 Sea Water 40 Salinity Desalination Plants in Arabian Gulf Temperature 35 (capacities in m3) 48

46 )

)

(

y t

25 a

S e

44 T

42 Kuwait EPA Salinity Maxima 15

40 10

7/1/07 10/1/07 1/1/08 4/1/08 7/1/08 10/1/08 1/1/09 Sampling Dates

Salinity and Temperature trends at observation station in Open Gulf, south Kuwait.

Highlights •Increased Salinity •In most cases the salinity is above the KEPA limit •There is a need to revisit the guidelines and permissible limits Global Warming and Climate Change effects on the Gulf

•Global CO2 concentration between 1960 – 2010

• Current CO2 Level is 394 ppm.

•Most of the CO2 in the region is sequestered in the Gulf

•Likely effects of this is ocean acidification, increase productivity, change in oceanic biogeochemistry

•Recent studies by S. Uddin, A.N. Al Ghadban et al., 2012 shows the rate of acidification in Gulf is much higher than predicted by IPCC for most oceans •Increased Ocean Productivity, possible effect of

availability of CO2 and nutrients 8.6

8.5

8.4

8.3

8.2

8.1 pH pH unit 8

7.9

7.8

7.7

6-Jan-07 5-Jan-08 3-Jan-09 2-Jan-10

9-Oct-10

3-Feb-07 2-Feb-08

3-Mar-07 1-Mar-08

8-Dec-07 6-Dec-08 5-Dec-09 4-Dec-10

8-Nov-08 7-Nov-09 6-Nov-10

21-Jul-07 19-Jul-08 18-Jul-09 17-Jul-10

31-Jan-09 30-Jan-10

13-Oct-07 11-Oct-08 10-Oct-09

25-Apr-09 28-Apr-07 26-Apr-08 24-Apr-10

23-Jun-07 21-Jun-08 20-Jun-09 19-Jun-10

28-Feb-09 27-Feb-10

15-Sep-07 13-Sep-08 12-Sep-09 11-Sep-10

29-Mar-08 31-Mar-07 28-Mar-09 27-Mar-10

10-Nov-07

18-Aug-07 16-Aug-08 15-Aug-09 14-Aug-10

22-May-10 24-May-08 23-May-09 26-May-07 Date

ppt 45

43 Salinity Salinity 41

24-May-… 26-May-… 23-May-… 22-May-…

6-Jan-07 5-Jan-08 3-Jan-09 2-Jan-10

9-Oct-10

3-Feb-07 2-Feb-08

3-Mar-07 1-Mar-08

8-Dec-07 6-Dec-08 5-Dec-09 4-Dec-10

8-Nov-08 7-Nov-09 6-Nov-10

19-Jul-08 21-Jul-07 18-Jul-09 17-Jul-10

31-Jan-09 30-Jan-10

13-Oct-07 11-Oct-08 10-Oct-09

28-Apr-07 26-Apr-08 25-Apr-09 24-Apr-10

23-Jun-07 21-Jun-08 20-Jun-09 19-Jun-10

28-Feb-09 27-Feb-10

13-Sep-08 15-Sep-07 12-Sep-09 11-Sep-10

31-Mar-07 29-Mar-08 28-Mar-09 27-Mar-10

10-Nov-07

18-Aug-07 16-Aug-08 15-Aug-09 14-Aug-10 39

C) o 29

19 Temperature Temperature (

6-Jan-07 5-Jan-08 3-Jan-09 2-Jan-10

9-Oct-10

3-Feb-07 2-Feb-08

3-Mar-07 1-Mar-08

8-Dec-07 6-Dec-08 5-Dec-09 4-Dec-10

8-Nov-08 7-Nov-09 6-Nov-10

21-Jul-07 19-Jul-08 18-Jul-09 17-Jul-10

31-Jan-09 30-Jan-10

13-Oct-07 11-Oct-08 10-Oct-09

28-Apr-07 26-Apr-08 25-Apr-09 24-Apr-10

23-Jun-07 21-Jun-08 20-Jun-09 19-Jun-10

28-Feb-09 27-Feb-10

15-Sep-07 13-Sep-08 12-Sep-09 11-Sep-10

31-Mar-07 29-Mar-08 28-Mar-09 27-Mar-10

18-Aug-07 10-Nov-07 16-Aug-08 15-Aug-09 14-Aug-10

26-May-07 24-May-08 23-May-09 22-May-10 Date

4 Dissolved Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) 3

6-Jan-07 5-Jan-08 3-Jan-09 2-Jan-10

9-Oct-10

3-Feb-07 2-Feb-08

3-Mar-07 1-Mar-08

8-Dec-07 6-Dec-08 5-Dec-09 4-Dec-10

8-Nov-08 7-Nov-09 6-Nov-10

21-Jul-07 19-Jul-08 18-Jul-09 17-Jul-10

31-Jan-09 30-Jan-10

13-Oct-07 11-Oct-08 10-Oct-09

28-Apr-07 26-Apr-08 25-Apr-09 24-Apr-10

23-Jun-07 21-Jun-08 20-Jun-09 19-Jun-10

28-Feb-09 27-Feb-10

15-Sep-07 13-Sep-08 12-Sep-09 11-Sep-10

31-Mar-07 29-Mar-08 28-Mar-09 27-Mar-10

18-Aug-07 10-Nov-07 16-Aug-08 15-Aug-09 14-Aug-10

26-May-07 24-May-08 23-May-09 22-May-10 Global CO2 concentration between 800,000 years BP to 2009 (source http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/history.html)

Bleached corals near Az Zour- They show a good seasonal recovery under current physico-chemical conditions. Reason for bleaching is high temperature and lower pH effects the calcification rate. How long is it sustainable…….? Satellite based SPM for understanding sediment transport •A SPM algorithm using MODIS band 13 data centered at 667 nm. •Satellite estimates of SPM are extremely well correlated with the in-situ measurements of SPM (p=0.97 and 1.00 for north (turbid) and south (clear) transects. •Therefore this technique can be effective for SPM estimation in Gulf waters as a surrogate for in-situ measurements.

SPM profile along the transect using MODIS data and in-situ measured SPM at ten match up locations along southern transect (image: 28th April, 2010) Satellite Image over Arabian Gulf (22.08.2010)

Relationship of in situ and satellite based estimates for SPM in Gulf using two transects (clear and turbid conditions).

SPM profile along the transect using MODIS data and in-situ measured SPM at ten match up locations along northern transect (image: 26Th April, 2010). Highlight : This technique can be effective for SPM estimation in Gulf waters as a surrogate for in-situ measurements. Radionuclide concentration in commercial fish species of Kuwait

Scientific names of the commercial fishes and their dry factor 210Po and 90Sr massic activity in important commercial fishes in Kuwaiti waters Fish Scientific Name Dry Factor (%) 210Po 90Sr Meid Liza klunzingeri 39.50 Fish Bq/kg (fresh) Uncertainty Bq/kg (fresh) Uncertainty Acanthopagrus latus Shea 'am 32.81 Meid 2.29 0.43 1.65 0.28 Beyah Liza subviridis 28.22 Shea 'am 1.46 0.26 1.46 0.25 Sobaity Sparidentex hasta 27.56 Beyah 2.40 0.04 1.73 0.17 Nuwaibi Otolithes ruber 24.51 Sobaity 0.69 0.15 1.17 0.20 Battan Crenidens crenidens 29.24 Nuwaibi 1.16 0.07 1.49 0.21 Battan 3.30 0.26 4.13 0.34 Concentration of various radioisotopes in Fish samples from Kuwait (dry weight)

Fish 40K (Bq/Kg) 226Ra (Bq/Kg) 224Ra (Bq/Kg) 228Ra (Bq/Kg) 137Cs (Bq/Kg)

Activity Uncertainty MDA Activity Uncertainty MDA Activity Uncertainty MDA Activity Uncertainty MDA Activity Uncertainty MDA

Meid 335 7.3 2.2 7.3 0.14 0.5 6.60 0.15 0.28 15.80 0.44 0.9 BDL 0.08 Shea 'am 279 6 1.6 1.3 0.06 0.3 0.80 0.05 0.20 1.70 0.10 0.7 BDL 0.07 Beyah 383 16 3.1 5.0 0.20 0.9 2.26 0.20 0.60 9.90 0.54 1.9 BDL 0.17 Sobaity 412 17 2.0 1.15 0.12 0.7 BDL 0.60 BDL 1.5 BDL 0.08 Nuwaibi 477 11 2.4 0.70 0.10 0.5 0.50 0.06 0.32 1.20 0.20 1.2 BDL 0.07 Battan 230 8 1.6 1.10 0.08 0.4 1.46 0.07 0.20 2.40 0.17 0.9 BDL 0.06

Highlights: •Among the six commercial fish species in the food basket of Kuwait, Battan has the highest activity of 210Po and 90Sr, while Sobaity has the lowest activity. •Based on the massic activity in the fishes of Kuwait, they are comparable to concentrations found in other regions of the world. •No apparent concerns and risks. •The 210Po concentration in fishes is closely associated with the their feeding habit and tropic level. (this is an ongoing study to see the concentration mechanism and food chain transfer) Radionuclide Concentration in Seawater Samples Station 3H (TU) 90Sr (mBq/l) 210Po (mBq/l) 137Cs (mBq/l)

1 1.26 ± 0.01 0.68 ± 0.08 0.50 ± 0.06 1.06 ± 0.01

2 1.04 ± 0.01 0.73 ± 0.05 0.68 ± 0.08 1.06 ± 0.01

3 1.36 ± 0.01 0.65 ± 0.05 0.54 ± 0.08 1.06 ± 0.01

4 1.22 ± 0.01 0.78 ± 0.10 0.63 ± 0.02 1.04 ± 0.01 0.68 ± 0.02 5 1.10 ± 0.01 0.77 ± 0.08 1.01 ± 0.01

6 1.01 ± 0.01 0.61 ± 0.08 0.64 ± 0.20 1.04 ± 0.01

S 1.12 ± 0.01 0.57 ± 0.05 0.48 ± 0.07 1.06 ± 0.01 1.04 ± 0.01 Z 0.92 ± 0.01 0.68 ± 0.10 0.49 ± 0.08 • The 90Sr concentration ranges between 0.57 ± 0.05 – 0.78 ± 0.10 mBq/l, comparable to the observations made under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordinated, Worldwide Marine Radioactivity Studies (WOMARS) in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

•This concentration is on higher side expected from global fall out in this latitude belt (IAEA, 2001). Mainly attributed to sediments and remobilization of 90Sr from the catchment.

• The 137Cs concentration is between 1.01 – 1.06 mBq/l. This concentration is comparable to the range reported from Pacific and Indian Oceans where the 137Cs concentration during 2000 ranged between 0.1 – 2.8 mBq/l.

•The low baseline level of tritium in 0.92 – 1.36 TU range can be attributed to very limited atmospheric tritium fall out due to scanty precipitation and no apparent tritium discharge from nuclear power plant in the area.

•The baseline concentration of 210Po in seawater ranges between 0.48 – 0.68 mBq/l, it is mostly taken up by algae.

The radionuclide baseline in Kuwait suggest levels comparable to other marine waters in the northern hemisphere. To establish denitrification potential of the Northern Arabian Gulf (NAG) o Nitrogen critically affects the ocean productivity, obliterates acidity, oxidative capacity and radiative transfer capability of atmosphere. o The experiment in controlled laboratory conditions simulated the tidal cycles. o Redox potential was significantly lower at 10 cm depth compared to the surface in all cores (P<0.001). The redox potential at surface and at 10 cm depth was significantly lower at site S compared to site N, suggesting anaerobic sediments at site S.

The effect of nitrate concentration on the rate of denitrification at Site S and Site N under non flooded and flooded conditions Comparison of the in situ mean redox potential at the surface and at 10 cm in sediment at the Site S and Site N Effect of nitrate on denitrification rate at Site S and Site N under non-flooded conditions.

•The study highlights the importance of the sediment–water interface for reducing nitrate levels in overlying seawater.

•Based on the model developed the total denitrification capacity of AG is estimated as 142,380±47,460 kg NO3- N/day. (Al Ghadban et al., 2012)

•This huge capacity is a boon in maintaining healthy marine environment in the Gulf.

Effect of nitrate on denitrification rate at Site S and Site N under flooded conditions. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in three species of fish yellowfin seabream, a predatory fish; Klunzinger’s mullet, a pelagic fish; and large-scaled tonguesole, a demersal fish collected from two sites in the northwestern part of the Arabian Gulf. o The congener composition in all species from both sites was dominated by BDEs 47, 99, and 100, which together constituted approximately 90% of the congeners detected. o Although no statistically significant intersite differences were found, ΣPBDEs concentrations in mullet were significantly higher than those in seabream (p = 0.01). However, no significant differences existed between mullet and tonguesole (p = 0.28) or between tonguesole and seabream (p = 0.06). o ΣPBDE concentrations were negatively correlated with fish mass for all species; however, the correlations were statistically insignificant, suggesting a growth dilution effect.

Highlights No apparent PBDE contamination in fishes

Toxicity of Ropme Sea Area Beach Sediments. ( Amphipod mortality %)

Human activities and settlements Demerits

Coastal Zone

Benefits

Living and non-living Resources Tools and Techniques for implementation of CZM

According to the UNEP

Information Economic Evaluation management

Coastal marine parks and Control Instrument special area management ICZM for implementation

Environmental Impact Risk Assessment Assessment and management Geochemical considerations:

 Sediment analysis results are highly depend on the geochemistry, grain-size, etc;  Conservative, naturally occurring minerals (elements) to be used for characterization of the samples (natural backgrounds) and for normalization of the concentration of pollutants;  Correlating the grain-size, Iron and Calcium to Aluminum and carbonate provided information on the relative presence of clay minerals/limestones;  Compare trace element concentration in samples collected from the same sites during the three cruises (23 sampling sites only) Mean grain-size and Iron versus Aluminum (in 2006) Calcium versus Aluminum and carbonates (in 2006) Acknowledgments

 KFAS for this opportunity  Dr. Saif Uddin, Research Scientist at KISR.  Dr. Peter literathy, Manager/ Environmental Management Program at KISR.  Drs. Bondi and Talat , Researchers at KISR.  Members of Environmental Management Program, KISR.  KISR Management for their continuous support Thank You