Detailed textural study of the Northern section of the Syrian Continental shelf
(N35.92991 E35.91785: N35.35752 E35.91542) has been carried out in order to determine
the sediment nature and distribution. The sediments are mainly coarse to very fine
-grained
particles, moderately sorted, negatively skewed to fine skewed and leptokurtic to
mesokurtic in nature. Interrelationship of various parameters shows bimodal nature of
sediments having dominance of mainly medium to coarse sand. The major part of the
sediment fall in coarse to very fine grained category (sand, silt and clay). Based on the CM
(Coarser one percentile and Median size values in micron) pattern, the sediment fall in
rolling and suspension field. These factors indicate that the sediments discharged from the
rivers mixes with offshore sediments and with the sediments eroded from a source rock.
Moreover, the wave energy conditions were high enough to disperse the sediments along
the shelf and passing it to the open ocean and later dispersing them by littoral currents.
This research focuses on determination the concentration of some heavy metal
elements (Nickel Ni and Cadmium Cd) in the coastal water sediments of Ras Al-Basit
(Latakia ) during the period that range between Autumn 2013 and Summer 2014 using the
A
tomic Absorption (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer: AAS) at two different (closed
and open) geographical regions.
The results of the research indicate a correlation monumental between the change in
the concentration of studied metallic elements (Ni & Cd), the quality and sediment
sampling sites on the one hand, and the sources of pollution on the other. It observed the
rule of fine sand with minor amount of clay in the sediments collected from closed area;
with high concentrations of both Nickel (755.50mg/Kg), and Cadmium (71.30μg/ Kg),
compared with the open area while the majority of the sediments are medium sand with
low Nickel and Cadmium concentrations (38.85mg/Kg; 13.31μg/ Kg).
Concentrations of eight chlorinated pesticides: namely, gamma HCH, Heptachlor,
heptachlore epoxide, aldrin, dieldrin, 4,4-DDE, 4,4-DDD, and 4,4-DDT were studied in
some mollusks species Monodonta turbinata, Brachidontes variabilis , Patella caerule
a,
Trochus erithraeus, Strombus persicus and in sediments taken from five different
locations: Assin estuary, Jobar estuary, Banias Thermal Electricity Station, Albasia, and
Mirkiya River estuary. Sampling was performed at six different times during the period
2006-2007.
Results indicated that Assin estuary contained the highest level of contamination
followed by Jobar estuary and Mirkiya estuary where sampled mollusks species contained
various concentrations of all of the studied pesticides. At Banias Thermal Electricity
Station samples showed contamination with heptachlore and heptachlore epoxide only,
whereas the concentration of pesticides at Albasia location, much lower than the other
locations.
The aim of this study isto determinat the concentration of (Pb, Cu, Cd, Co, Cr , NiZn,
Fe) in storm water and their content of sediments during four seasons, the samples were
collected in four areas along Tartous beach. After make necessary treatme
nt concentrations
of elements determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.The results showed a
high levels of elements iron and zinc, in stormwater (138.6 μg/l - 99.7 μg/l) and sediments
(17.863 μg/l – 138.735 ppm), in all samples and there were concentrations another
elements difference between stations and rainfalls related to the human activities.
