Impact of Nile River outflow on Water Quality and Bacterial Diversity of Marine Water of the Egyptian Coast of the Mediterranean Sea

Zoromba, Nouran A.E.; Bahgat, Magdy M.; Abou-Dobara, Mohamed I.; Zaky, Mahmoud M.

doi:10.21608/sjdfs.2016.194757

Impact of Nile River outflow on Water Quality and Bacterial Diversity of Marine Water of the Egyptian Coast of the Mediterranean Sea

Document Type : Original articles

Authors

¹ Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Botany Department, Port Said, Egypt

² College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.

³ Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Botany and Microbiology Department, Damietta, Egypt

10.21608/sjdfs.2016.194757

Abstract

In comparison between the eastern and western coasts of the Mediterranean Sea of Egypt, water samples were collected seasonally from Port Fouad City and Damietta branch of the Nile River during four successive seasons. Water samples were tested for some physical and chemical parameters including: water turbidity, TSS and chlorophyll-a as well as the determination of water salinity, pH, concentrations of some nutrient salts and trace metals such as: Cl^-, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg⁺², Ca⁺², PO₄^-3, NO₃^-, SO₄^-2, Fe⁺³, Cu⁺², Zn⁺² and Mn⁺². Total bacterial counts of collected water samples were determined as well as biochemical identification of 17 bacterial genera. Results showed that the western coast of the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea recorded higher salinity values and higher concentrations of Cl^- ions than those recorded in the eastern coast represented in Port Fouad City. Water turbidity values showed strong positive significant correlations between Alexandria and Port Fouad as well as Port Fouad and the Nile River while non-significant correlations occurred between water turbidity of Alexandria site and the Nile River site.

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