Environmental Assessment and Evaluation of Anthropogenic Impacts on Sulaibikhat Bay Tidal Flat Area, Kuwait
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Journal of Health and Environmental Research 2018; 4(1): 21-34 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/jher doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20180401.14 ISSN: 2472-3584 (Print); ISSN: 2472-3592 (Online) Environmental Assessment and Evaluation of Anthropogenic Impacts on Sulaibikhat Bay Tidal Flat Area, Kuwait Mohamed El-Anbaawy1, Ahmed Abdelhalim1, Deadan Al Ajmi1, Mohammad Al Sarawi2, * 1Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt 2Department of Earth and Environmental Science, College of Science, Kuwait University, Khaldyah, Kuwait Email address: *Corresponding author To cite this article: Mohamed El-Anbaawy, Ahmed Abdelhalim, Deadan Al Ajmi, Mohammad Al Sarawi. Environmental Assessment and Evaluation of Anthropogenic Impacts on Sulaibikhat Bay Tidal Flat Area, Kuwait. Journal of Health and Environmental Research. Vol. 4, No. 1, 2018, pp. 21-34. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20180401.14 Received: January 9, 2018; Accepted: February 1, 2018; Published: March 8, 2018` Abstract: Sulaibikhat Bay is situated along the northern coastline of Kuwait. It occupies the southwestern part of Kuwait Bay, between latitudes 29° 19ʺ and 29° 24ʺ north and longitudes 47° 50ʺ and 47° 55ʺ east, and covers a total area of about 45 km2. The lagoon bay is a shallow (7-8 m) tide-dominated embayment with a very soft muddy flat basin. It has a simple bottom topography, with a maximum water depth of about 8 m. The main objectives of this study is to delineate the water quality of Sulaibikhat Bay, to study the input of anthropogenic activities on the water quality, to recommend methods to improve water quality of the bay and to study the sediment and their heavy metals contents. About 15 marine water and 15 sediment samples were collected along the Sulaibikhat Bay. The samples were analyzed chemically for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Trace Metals, and Total Organic Carbon. Also Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, and physically analyzed for Dissolved Oxygen, temperature, salinity, PH, Conductivity and nutrient levels. Data analyses for sediment and water reveal that the level of contamination is within the international standard however there are some higher reading of trace metals and other chemicals from the outlets of the power station more than the inlets. As, two sources or large input of trace metals in the coastal water of Sulaibikhat Bay are suggested in this study namely; estuarine fluviatile source of Shatt Al-Arab trace metal rich and dust fallouts. Keywords: Heavy Metals, Nutrients, Anthropogenic Impact, Tidal bay, Water Quality, Bottom Sediments, Sewage Outlets, Contaminations 1. Introduction Sulaibikhat Bay is a part of the large Kuwait Bay (Figure of the bay is very weak and is tide dominated. Tidal range is 1), mainly formed of soft sediments and shallow depth which between 3-4 meters. Long shore current is from north to has weak currents and low wave energy [1]. The lagoon bay south. There are several out falls along the Sulaibikhat Bay: is a shallow tide-dominated embayment with a very flat basin the Al-Ghazali out let, Al-Jahara out let, Entertainment city [2]. It has simple bottom topography, with a maximum water out let, Hospital out let and Doha Power Station east and depth of about 8 m. The most important features are the large west out lets. extensive muddy tidal flats (20 km2) and the main tidal The objectives of this paper is to delineate the water channel. The study focuses on update of environmental quality of Sulaibikhat tidal flat by studying the physical and profile of Sulaibikhat Bay and to evaluate the anthropogenic chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, impacts on its water quality and sediments. Hydrodynamics ammonia, phosphate, silicate, total organic carbon, total 22 Mohamed El-Anbaawy et al.: Environmental Assessment and Evaluation of Anthropogenic Impacts on Sulaibikhat Bay Tidal Flat Area, Kuwait petroleum hydrocarbon and trace metals); the input of bottom sediment pollution, and propose mitigation measures anthropogenic activities on the water quality; detect the to improve water quality. Figure 1. Location map of the study area. Sulaibikhat bays were investigated by [10] and [11]. 2. Literature Review Moreover, they found that the trace metals within the entire water of the bays were recorded with different The Arabian Gulf has been subject to several wars during concentrations. From the above citations, the fate and flux of the last three decades (1980-2003). Therefore, large number pollutants will go up either in the bottom sediments, water or of investigations have emphasized the consequences of the in the fishes of the site. [12] studied the mineralogical Gulf war on the marine environment, and the substantial characteristics of surface sediment in Sulaibikhat Bay. Their changes associated with the oil spills and toxic heavy metal study shows abundance of carbonate, clay minerals, feldspar, contamination. Of these, important investigations were pyrite, gypsum and muscovite in different parts of the Bay. conducted by [3]and [4]. The previous studies document the [13], studied the secular variation of mineralogical contents continuous monitoring of the changing environmental in the bottom sediments of Sulaibikhat Bay. [14], studied the impacts that were associated with physical and biological sediment deposition rates in the Kuwait Bay. Five bottom conditions of Arabian Gulf [5]. Stress imposed by diverse sediment cores from the Kuwait Bay were dated using 210Pb input of pollutants into the marine environment is likely to and 137Cs radionuclides. For evaluating the sedimentation have severe consequences as a result of the Gulf War. rate two methods were applied: geochronology with the Therefore, maintaining good marine environmental quality is constant rate of supply unsupported 210Pb (CRS model) and crucial for several socio-economic reasons [6]. [7] studied the Weibull distribution of anthropogenic 137Cs. [15], the trace elements at bottom sediments of the Kuwait Bay. studied the trace metal concentrations in the surface [8] and [9] studied the oil pollution around the bay and sediments of Sulaibikhat Bay and most of them were found found several environmental degradation spots. In addition, to be higher than the allowable limits. [16], and [12] studied [1] studied the sedimentological properties of the bay and the microbiological water quality along the Kuwait found that the degree of contamination was increasing Waterfront Project. [17] studied the marine status of the Gulf rapidly. [8] studied the mercury level within Kuwait Bay. area. While the trace metals within the sediment in Kuwait and [18], studied the petroleum hydrocarbons and trace metals Journal of Health and Environmental Research 2018; 4(1): 21-34 23 in the nearshore Gulf sediments and biota before and after the discharged loads of trace metals and other organic pollutants 1991 Gulf war. Immediately following the Gulf war, a survey into these fragile ecosystems. was organized to determine the extent and degree of contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons and trace metals 3. Materials and Methods that entered the Gulf from the massive oil spill and oil field fires in Kuwait. Between June-October 1991 samples of near Water and sediment marine samples were taken and shore sediments, bivalves and fish were collected from collected from fifteen stations along the Sulaibikhat Bay Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Oman. [19] studied during spring of 2016 (Figure 2). The collected samples have the metals pollution in marine sediments of the United Arab been analyzed to determine the concentration of (BOD, Emirates creeks along the Arabian Gulf shoreline. The study COD, TPH, TM, TOC, TSS). Water temperature, PH, of trace metals in the marine environment of the United Arab Salinity and dissolved oxygen. The physical parameters were Emirates is very important since coastal regions are presently measured in-situ using a calibrated hydro lab quanta multi experiencing a phenomenal rate of growth in terms of parameter instrument directly in the field. Spectrophotometer industrial and urban development. Special emphasis is given was used to analyze the heavy metals, nutrients, phosphate, to enclosed areas and creeks due to the vastness of these parts silicates and ammonium and COD. Ammonia and phosphate of the country’s waters, their richness in marine life. were measured spectroscopically at 425 nm radiation by Therefore, it is highly recommended to minimize the making a color complex with Nessler’s reagent. Table 1. Comparison of the certified and obtained values (mg kg-1 dry wt) for trace metal concentrations in standard reference material SRM 1646. Cu Zn Cd Pb Ni Certified 18.0 ± 1.5 138.0 ± 5 0.360 ± 0.050 28.2 ± 1.8 32.0 ± 3 Obtained 17.2 ± 1.4 137.0 ± 10 0.405 ± 0.051 27.2 ± 1.2 30.0 ± 2.5 Figure 2. Sampling locations. Salinity: The average salinity of water samples was 41.84 4. Results ppt. for all 15 Stations samples while maximum salinity was 4.1. Environmental Parameters in Water Samples 42.2 ppt. in Station 1 and minimum was 4.12. Conductivity: From the results of present investigation it Temperature: The average temperature of water samples was observed that electrical conductivity of all Stations are was 25.6°C for all samples in 15 Stations while maximum almost similar (Figure 3). temperature was 26.1 in Station 12 and minimum was 25.2 C Dissolved Oxygen: The average dissolved oxygen of sea in Station 4. water samples was 4.662 mg/L for all 15 Stations samples pH: The average pH of water samples was 7.99 for all 15 while maximum concentration was 4.92 mg/L in Station 4 stations samples while maximum pH was 8.2 in Station 9 and and minimum was 4.21 mg/L in Station 10 (Figure 5). minimum was 7.88 in Station 14 (Figures 3 and 4). 24 Mohamed El-Anbaawy et al.: Environmental Assessment and Evaluation of Anthropogenic Impacts on Sulaibikhat Bay Tidal Flat Area, Kuwait Figure 3.