Nutrient Fluxes and Sediments Composition in El Mex Bay and Surround Drains, Alexandria, Egypt

摘要

The regeneration of pore water (PW) nutrients was investigated and the contribution of benthic nutrient fluxes to the overlying bottom water (BW) was examined. Dissolved inorganic nutrients (NO-2, NO-3, PO3-4 and SIO4-4) were measured in PW and BW in El Mex Bay and surround drains during spring 2010. Nutrient concentrations gradiance in PW with overlying seawater were evaluated according to Fick’s Law. Average inorganic nutrient fluxes were estimated using the pore water gradient concentration across the sediment-water interface. Calculated nutrient fluxes had averages of ﹣7.24, ﹣1.36, ﹣7.86 and ﹣1.33 in El Mex Bay. Additionally, the fluxes in the drains were ﹣34.39, ﹣32.28, ﹣53.20 and ﹣117.6 mg·m﹣2·day﹣1 for NO-3, NO-2, PO3-4 and SIO4-4, respectively. Mineralogical studies of sediment samples by using IR, X-ray analysis were carried out to identify the chemical structure of sediments. The results revealed that calcite, aragonite and quartz are the dominant minerals. On the other hand, differential thermal analysis (DTA) was used to evaluate and discuss different kinetic parameters such as Ea#, ΔG#, ΔH#, ΔS#, Z and Tm support the view of the extra stability of these sediments.