Chemical Contamination and Toxicity of Sediment from a Coastal Area Receiving Industrial Effluents in Kuwait

Abstract

The Shuaiba coastal area (12.5 x 1.5 km) was examined for contamination with total organic carbon, volatile organic matter, total petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, vanadium, and zinc in sediment; their desorption by aqueous elution; and toxicity to aquatic biota. The pollutants were mainly accumulated in the upstream area facing Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery to Shuaiba harbour. Solid-phase Microtox assays showed severe toxicity, and the LC(50) was negatively correlated with most of the chemical parameters, suggesting that toxicity was the function of collective effects of the pollutants present in sediment. Sea water elutriation showed poor desorption of pollutants from sediment, and the elutriates were not found toxic to Microtox and brine shrimp larvae. Whole sediment suspension in sea water reduced the survival of fingerlings in fish bioassays. Action from Shuaiba Area Authority is required to reduce pollutant accumulation in identified depositional area on the Shuaiba coast by facilitating unrestricted water flow in the area and restricting pollutant discharge at source.

A Pilot-scale Benthic Microbial Electrochemical System (BMES) for Enhanced Organic Removal in Sediment Restoration

“…Given the fact of long-term drainage of industrial wastewater and municipal sewage without treatment or not meeting the set treatment standards, large amounts of pollutants and nutrients have been deposited onto the sediments, such as organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus and thereby potentially threatening the ecosystem integrity3. It is becoming a serious problem and an enormous task in many counties in the world to recover the river ecological function.…”

The biological effects of chemical contaminants in the Arabian/Persian Gulf: A review

“…Sites with sediments causing the greatest toxicity (reduced survival rates over 10 days) were observed to also contain the highest concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons, with samples >1 mg g −1 dry weight (total petroleum hydrocarbons), shown to induce significant amphipod mortality. Seawater containing resuspended sediment collected from locations close to industrialized facilities in Kuwait have also been shown to reduce the survival of tilapia (Oreochromis spilurus, Gunther) fingerlings in 96 h bioassay tests (Beg et al, 2001). The microtox solid phase toxicity (SPT) assay has also been used to screen sediments (Beg et al, 2001;Beg and Al-Ghadban, 2003) and sediment pore water (Beg et al, 2001).…”

“…Seawater containing resuspended sediment collected from locations close to industrialized facilities in Kuwait have also been shown to reduce the survival of tilapia (Oreochromis spilurus, Gunther) fingerlings in 96 h bioassay tests (Beg et al, 2001). The microtox solid phase toxicity (SPT) assay has also been used to screen sediments (Beg et al, 2001;Beg and Al-Ghadban, 2003) and sediment pore water (Beg et al, 2001). Results using the microtox SPT assay linked toxicity, to range of chemical pollutants detected in the sediment, suggesting that the degree of response was a function of the collective effects of the pollutants present in the sample (Beg et al, 2001;Beg and Al-Ghadban, 2003).…”

Equilibrium and Kinetics Adsorption of Cadmium and Lead Ions from Aqueous Solution Using Bamboo Based Activated Carbon

“…The indiscriminate release of heavy metals via wastewater into the environment without proper treatment has resulted in a total pollution of the environment. This has caused many water bodies receiving loads of pollutants that exceed the maximum permissible limit designed to protect the environment thereby, causing ineffectiveness of purification systems which may lead to accumulation of toxic products in the receiving water bodies with potentially serious consequences on the ecosystem (Beg et al, 2001). The presence of these heavy metals in the environment has led to many environmental problems since most of them are toxic, carcinogenic and persistence in nature.…”