Sewage Disposal as a Source of Phosphorus in the Coastal Environment of Alexandria

A preliminary attempt was performed to assess the relative impact of sewage and waste water discharge on the different phosphorus forms and their contribution to the total phosphorus balance in one of the most polluted basins off Alexandria region, the Eastern Harbor, representing its coastal marine environment The annual input of DIP to the harbor basin during the period 1985-1986 from land run-off, precipitation and flux from sediment was 567 Kg, 6.5 Kg and 520 Kg, respectively. On the other hand, about 860 Kg of phosphorus are removed annually through phytoplankton assimilation. A considerable part of the phosphorus budget of the harbor basin, i.e 400 Kg/yr is compensated from the flux exchange with highly phosphorus-rich sewage water from Kayet Bay sewage outfall.