Environmental Assessment of Petroleum Contamination of Gamasa-Damiette Beaches

Yasser M. Moustafa

Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt)

Petroleum hydrocarbons are ubiquitous contaminants in the aquatic environment as a result of uncontrolled spillages and or inefficiently treated discharges. Quantitative determination of the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) was determined in water and sediment samples collected from the studied area. Results reveal contamination of water samples in a level that may cause lethal effect while the contaminations in sediments are below the alarming level and have low to moderate chronic effects. Gas chromatographic studies show that the origin of contamination is mainly petroleum origin (petrogenic). The main types of contaminations are either weathered or highly weathered crude oil. Their detection gives an indication of recent and continous petroleum inputs. Component and hydrocarbon types analysis and some of parameters depending on gas chromatographic analysis were also studied on tar ball samples in order to identify their origin, type and weathering degree.

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