Survey of tar,hydrocarbon and metal pollution in the coastal waters of Oman |
| |
| Authors: | KA Burns JP Villeneuve VC Anderlin SW Fowler |
| |
| Institution: | 1. International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity, Musée Océanographique, Monaco;2. Environmental Sciences Dept, Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research, Box 24885, Kuwait |
| |
| Abstract: | Quantitative beach sampling conducted after the S. W. monsoon season yielded average standing stocks of tar ranging from 5 to 2325 g m?1 of shoreline with overall average of 224 g m?1. Values are among the highest reported for any world area and show a trend of increasing levels of oil residues close to the Strait of Hormuz. Data support the premise that tanker deballasting is a major source of oil pollution on the Omani coast. Locally high levels were seen near offshore tanker loading facilities. Petroleum hydrocarbons in rock oysters increased in a south to north gradient consistent with beach tar observations. But relatively low hydrocarbon levels in biota coupled with observations of very little floating tar suggests that oil released in Omani coastal waters aggregates, sinks, and reaches the coast as heavy tar lumps. Except for elevated levels of Cd at two stations, heavy metal and chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations were low compared to more industrialized world areas. Suggestions are made to improve the effectiveness of future pollution studies in the Gulf Region. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
