Assessment of Oil Pollution Situation in Sharm El-Maiya Bay, Sharm El-Sheikh South Sinai, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt

Abstract

Sharm El-Maiya bay is bounded by multi million pounds tourism investments in Sharm El-Sheikh area.
The key stone for investments in this area is the water sports and amenities. All of this was hindered by
the presence of a persistent oil film covering the sea surface as well as an oily smell especially noticeable
in hot and windy days. The purpose of this work was to identify sources and level of petroleum
hydrocarbons as well as to establish a data-base for future monitoring and defining mitigation measures
for rehabilitation program. In total, 17 sites plus a control site were investigated. Water and sediment
samples were collected, extracted, purified and analyzed using spectro-fluorometry and Gas
chromatography (GC). Results indicated that chronic oil pollution was prevalent in the surface sediments
(0-20 cm depth) in confined areas of the western and south-western sites of the bay. The average
hydrocarbons concentrations recorded in deep (> 20 cm depth) and surface sediment varied between
(20.3 to 1263.5 μg/g), the most contaminated sediments were restricted to the intertidal flat just outside
the place of an old Power Plant. The spilled oil was found to be originated from different sources such as
fuel leakage and dumping of oil wastes as well as other types of hydrocarbons from the disembarked
power plant, creating the existing problem of permanent oil pollution. However, the GC analysis has
indicated that oil degradation was processing very well.

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