الفهرس 
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Abstract
Alexandria is considered the second capital city of Egypt, and the main resort for all Egyptian and many tourists. Alexandria coast extends for about 50 km from Abou Qir to El-Agami. About 2 million people come to its beaches each summer for bathing. In order to overcome the crowding and traffic problems, the governorate decided to make a sort of widening structure to the coastal road, this widening actions included nourishment of certain beaches by foreign sediment or establishing breakwater and jetties.
This artificial constructions and foreign materials may be have upset the natural equilibrium. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the coastal environment after the development and comparing its result with the recorded results before the development, the coastal environment evaluation included many parameters in water and sediment in order to have a comprehensive overview about any positive or negative effects took place.
The study took place at two different years at 2007 and 2013, in order to determine the prolonged effect of the coastal development; ten stations were examined along the coastal line of Alexandria from El Maamoura to El-Anfoushi in two seasons’ summer and winter. Then the two years results were compared with the previous studies before the coastal road development. The water parameters that have been measured was temperature, turbidity, conductivity, alkalinity, salinity, pH, DO, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia, total bacteria count, Streptococcus faecalis and total algae, while in sediment benthic diatoms, nematodes, total carbonate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and grain size analysis. In addition, a questionnaire has been done to the fishermen of Alexandria in order to evaluate if there are any kinds of fish have disappeared or innovated to coastal water.
Water and sediment samples were collected for laboratory analysis, water samples collected in four bottles, BOD bottles for dissolved oxygen analysis fixed with manganous sulphate, sterile glass bottles for bacteriological analysis, 2 liter plastic bottle for chemical analysis and 1 liter dark bottle for algal analysis. The sediment samples were collected in two plastic bags one for the sediment biology fixed with 5% formalin and the other one for chemical and grain size analysis, and then the suitable analysis for each parameter has been done in the laboratory.
The result of the two investigated years were found to be as the following: Temperature in summer 2007 the values ranged from 26.67 to 28 ºC and in winter ranged from 17 to 19ºC, while in summer of 2013 the values ranged from 24.5 to 28, while in the winter of the same year ranged from 24 to 28 ºC, considering the previous results it is found that Temperature was 29.13ºC to 27.3ºC in 2007 to 27ºC in 2013 in summer showing a decrease , while in winter temperature changed from 18.3ºC to 17.6ºC in 2007 to 16ºC in 2013, it is found that there no significance changes in surface temperature where it is linked with the atmospheric temperature.
Turbidity in summer 2007 turbidity ranged from 0.03 to 0.15 NTU and winter the ranged from 0.04 to 0.15 NTU, while in summer 2013 ranged from 6.2 to 13.81 NTU and in winter of 2013 turbidity ranged from 32.3 to 5.53 NTU. The highest value was at El Shatbi beach in winter of 2013. after comparing it with the previous results it is found that turbidity has decreased significantly from 4.38 NTU to 0.1 NTU in 2007 and increased
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significantly to 8 NTU in 2013 in summer, while in winter turbidity decreased significantly from 3.46 NTU to 0.2 NTU in 2007 and returned to increase but insignificantly to 4.4 NTU, this significant decrease in 2007 in both summer and winter is considered a positive change, providing better sunlight penetration and less eutrophication, this could be returned to the use of high density materials in the beach nourishment process which settled on the bottom and didn’t cause water turbidity. On the other hand, in 2013 turbidity increased significantly even more than its values before the development referring to lower water quality for recreational activity and , the change is found to be significant both in summer and winter, although it all stays within the universal standards for recreational water. Although it stayed within the universal standards.
Conductivity in summer of 2007 ranged from 42.5 to 48.53 and in winter ranged from 44.33 to 50.3, while in summer of 2013 ranged from 48.1 to 54.4 and in winter ranged from 51.7 to 56.4. No previous studies measured conductivity for the same study area.
pH in summer 2007 the pH value ranged from 8.13 to 8.31 and in winter ranged from 8.21 to 8.33, while in summer of 2013 ranged from 7.5 to 8.06 and in winter ranged from 7.85 to 8.5 was 8.3, in summer 2013 the result was 7.8 and 8.1,by comparing the pH results of the present work with the previous recorded data, it is found that pH before the development and in summer 2007 had the same value 8.2, while in 2013 the pH decreased to 7.8, in winter pH increased from 8.03 to 8.3 in 2007 and return to decrease to 8.1 in 2013, the change is found to be insignificant,the increase in both values of pH in 2007 could be returned to the dumping materials was alkaline leads to raise the pH, while the decrease in 2013 could be attributed to increase of the acidic rain caused by air pollution, but it stays within the standard limits providing safe environment for marine life, the pH values found to be within the safe limits meeting the coastal water standards.
The DO result in summer 2007 ranged from 9.45mg/l in Cleopatra beach to 14.3 mg/l in El Shatbi and in winter ranged from 5.19mg/l in Sidi Gaber to 10.38mg/l in Sidi Bishr, while in summer of 2013 the DO values ranged from 3.25 at Sidi Bishr to 5.43 mg/l at El Maamoura beach, considering the pre-development recorded data which was 4.7 in summer increased to 6.1mg/l and decreased to 4.3mg/l in 2013 and in winter, DO value increased from 5.51 mg/l to 7.5mg/l in 2007 and to 7.6 mg/l in 2013, the change is found to be insignificant for both summer and winter, it is apparent that the DO level has increased in 2007 and then decreased in 2013, this abnormal increase in 2007 indicates that there was high water activity which made an aeration to the coastal area or less amount of organic matter and aquatic organisms which use Oxygen in their respiration.
Salinity values in summer 2007 ranged from 41.13 to 44.33‰ and in winter ranged from 31.4 to 36 ‰, while in summer of 2013 Salinity ranged from 31.4 to 36‰ and in winter ranged from 34.8 to 37.6 ‰, after comparing the result of this study to the pre-development study, it has been found that salinity changed in summer from 38.44 to 36.9 in 2007 to 35.7 in 2013, this decrease in salinity indicates disposal of freshwater to the coastal water, while in winter salinity changed from 38.72 to 38.8 in 2007 to 37 in 2013, the change is found to be insignificant for both summer and winter, the increase in winter than its value before the development and that may be attributed the dumping material, although it is not a significant change and stayed within the standard limits, while in 2013
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there was a noticeable decrease in salinity especially in summer that may be an indication to a fresh water disposal.
Alkalinity in summer of 2007 ranged from 1.64at Sidi Gaber to 2.28 mg/l at Cleopatra and in winter ranged from 17.9 El Shatby to 20.03 mg/l, at Stanley, while in summer of 2013 ranged from 15 to 16.75 mg/l at Sidi Bishr and in winter ranged from 15 mg\l at El Anfoushi to 65 mg\l at Stanley, after reviewing the pre-development results, it has been found that alkalinity has decreased in summer of 2007 from 2.06 mg/l to 1.8 mg/l and in summer of 2013 has increased significantly to 15.1 mg/l in 2013, while in winter it increased significantly from 2.23 mg/l to 18.6 mg/l in 2007 and continued its significant increase to 55 mg/l in 2013, it was found that alkalinity values have greatly increased after the development and especially at the second investigation in 2013. Which indicates there is a source of industrial disposal or wastewater that contains detergents alkaline based which have been introduced to the coastal area or the developmental activities and the dumping materials has affected on the water chemistry by addition of certain alkaline metals mainly to the winter or sediment, which found to be positive change since increasing the alkalinity increases the water buffering effect preventing it from converting to acidity which could be more harmful to the marine life.
Nitrite value in 2007 ranged from 1.05 to 3.72 μM and in winter ranged from 0.37 to 1.02 μM, while in summer of 2013 its value ranged from 0.71 in Cleopatra and Sporting beaches to 10.71 μM at San Stefano beach and in winter ranged from 0.06 μM Sidi Bishr to 2.14 μM at El Anfoushi, after comparing the result of the present work with the previous recorded data, it has been found that, Nitrite values have increased in summer from 0.47 μM to 1.9 μM in both 2007 and 2013, while in winter it increased from 0.27 μM to 0.6 μM in 2007 and return to decreased to 0.2 μM in 2013, the change is found to be insignificant for both summer and winter, the increase in summer of both two investigated years, could be attributed to higher contamination by organic matter or sewage disposal, since Nitrite is an unstable compound, which oxidizes rapidly to Nitrate in surface coastal water, which is usually characterized by high Oxygen content.
Nitrate values ranged in summer of 2007 from 3.15 to 7.43 μM and in winter ranged from 4.63 to 7.22 μM, while in summer of 2013 Nitrate ranged from 0.71 to 11.68 μM and in winter ranged from 0.36 to 9.69 μM, considering the results before the development which was 4.6 and 5 μM in summer and winter respectively, considering the pre-development studies Nitrate value was 3.9 μM elevated to 5 μM in summer of 2007 and decreased to 3.8 μM in summer 2013, while in winter Nitrate value was 4.18 μM increased in 2007 to 5.9 μM and decreased in 2013 to 4.5 μM, the change is found to be insignificant, the increase in 2007 refers to increased contamination with agricultural or industrial wastewater, also Nitrate is considered a main nutrient material for phytoplankton which sure will be affected either qualitatively or quantitatively.
Ammonia values was steady along the coastal line during 2007, were in summer it ranged from 1.47 to 3.56 μM and in winter ranged from 1.52 to 4.34 μM, while in summer of 2013 Ammonia ranged from 3.13 at El Maamoura to 73.75 μM at Sidi Bishr, considering the previous data which was 74.2 and 88.2 μM in summer and winter respectively, after reviewing the pre-development data, it has been found that ammonia level was 5.4 μM decreased significantly to 1.9 μM in summer 2007 and increased significantly to 41.6 μM in summer of 2013, while in winter Ammonia value before the
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development was 4.83 μM decreased to 2.2 μM in 2007 and started to rise to 9 μM in 2013, which found to be insignificant, the decrease in Ammonia in 2007 is an indication of healthier environment and less sewage disposal, on the other hand the significant increase in summer of 2013 refer to high sewage industrial pollution.
For the bacteriological parameters it was found that: the average for the total Bacterial Count in summer 2007 ranged from 3.77 E1 at El Maamoura to 6.18 E2 CFU/ml at Cleopatra and in winter 2007 ranged from 3.30 E1 to 1.54 E2 CFU/ml, while in summer 2013 ranged from 2.00 CFU/ml at Sporting to 2.60 E4 CFU/ml at San Stefano and in winter ranged from 9.00 at San Stifano to 1.10 E4 at Gleem, after comparing with the pre-development data (9), it has been found that Total bacterial count before the development was 2.02 E1 CFU/ml increased significantly to 1.46 E2 CFU/ml in 2007 and increased also significantly to 9.50 E3 CFU/100ml in 2013, while in winter total bacterial count value was 4.11 CFU/ml before the development then increased significantly to 9.10 E1 CFU/ml in 2007 then decreased significantly to 7.40 E1 CFU/ml in 2013. The change in both summer and winter was found to be significant, which an indication for high agricultural disposal occurred in summer of 2013 caused that sudden and abnormal elevation in bacterial counts value.
Streptoccoucus faecalis values ranged from 1.7 at El Maamoura, Sidi Bishr, San Stefano, Stanly, Sidi Gaber, Sporting, Cleopatra and El Shatbi to 3.4 MPN/100ml at El Anfoushi and in winter it ranged from 1.7 at El Maamoura, Stanley, Sidi Gaber, Cleopatra, Sporting, El Shatbi and El Anfoushi to 2.3 MPN/100ml at Sidi Bishr. In summer of 2013 it ranged from 1.7 E1 MPN/100ml at Sidi Gaber to 2.00 E3 MPN/100ml at Sidi Bishr, San Stefano, Gleem and Stanley, and in winter it ranged from 2.00 at El Maamoura to 1.7 E1 MPN/100ml at El Shatbi, Streptococcus faecalis in summer before the development was 2.95 MPN/100ml then dropped at summer 2007 after the development to 0.60 MPN/100ml and continued to decrease significantly to 1.26 MPN/100ml in summer 2013. While in winter it was 2.76 MPN/100ml decreased significantly to 0.30 MPN/100ml in 2007 and in 2013 decreased significantly to 1.04 MPN/100ml, the change in summer and winter found to be significant, which is considered a very low value indicating a healthy environment, less sewage disposal and faecal contamination.
For the biological parameters in water, it was found that: the average of the total algae during the summer of 2007 ranged from 1.77 E+4 at Sidi Bishr to 1.91 E+6 cell/l at Sporting, while in winter ranged from 2.64 E+4 at Sporting to 1.21 E+5 at El Anfoushi.
The average of the blue Green Algae during the summer of 2007 ranged from 2.00 E+3 at El Maamoura to 4.60 E+4 cell/l at Sporting, while in winter ranged from zero at Cleopatra to 4.67 E+3 cell/l at Sidi Gaber, after considering the results of the pre-development, it has been discovered that, the mean of blue green algae in summer before the development was 1.50 E+3 cell/l has been elevated after the beach development to 9.80 E+3 cell/l in 2007, while in winter the mean of the blue green algae before the development was 1.13 E+6 cell/l increased significantly to 8.44 E+6 cell/l in winter 2007,and after the qualitative analysis of the blue green algae toxic species had been found like Oscillatoria, Mycrocystis, Anabyna, Lyngbya lagerheimii, which found to be a direct cause for skin irritation and diarrhea.
The average of the green Algae in summer of 2007 ranged from 5.33 E+3cell/l at Cleopatra to 6.40 E+4 cell/l at Stanley and in winter ranged from 2.67 E+2 cell/l at Sidi
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Gaber to 8.50 E+3 cell/l at Cleopatra, after considering the pre development results it has been found that the amount of green algae in summer before the development was 2.80 E+1 cell/l in summer of 2007 increased to 9.40 E+3 cell/l, while in winter of the previous recoded data Green algae found to be not detected at all while in winter of 2007 in 1.20 E+3 cell/l. After considering the pre-development results, it was found that, increasing the amount of Green algae is a strong indicator for low turbidity and high Oxygen content which is considered the favorable conditions for its growth and reproduction which also confirmed by the values of DO and turbidity of the present study.
The mean of the diatoms in summer of 2007 ranged from 4.00 E+3cell/l at El Maamoura to 1.90 E+4 cell/l at El Shatbi beach, and in winter ranged from 8.25 E+3 cell/l at El Shatbi to 3.86 E+4 cell/l at El Maamoura, considering the pre-development data, appaered that the amount of Diatoms in summer before the development was 2.44 E+5cell/l decreased significantly to 9.80 E+3 cell/l in summer 2007, while in winter before the development its value was 6.96 E+5 cell/l and in winter of 2007 decreased significantly to 1.42 E+4 cell/l, which could be attributed to increasing the beach nourishment with foreign sediments which altered its natural environment.
After asking the fishermen in Alexandria about fish species that increased or decreased after the development and confirming from the fish statistical authorities, the following results had obtained, fish species increased: puffer fish, wahoo, Atlantic horse mackerel, bonito, rabbit fish and some shark species, fish species decreased: dolphins, sea bream, squid, sea eel, momora and mollusks.
Regarding the biological parameters measured in sediment it had been found that: the average of the benthic Diatoms in summer of 2007 ranged from 7.13 E+3cell/cm3 at Gleem to 8.25 E+4 cell/cm3 at Cleopatra, while in winter ranged from 6.18 E+5 at San Stefano to 6.69 E+7 cell/cm3 at Cleopatra, after considering the previous recorded data it was found that there is a slight increase in 2007 than summer of the recorded data before the coastal road development from 1.23 E+1 cell/ cm3 to 2.33 E+1 cell/ cm3, it was not significant. While in winter, a significant increase in the benthic diatoms community, where in 2007 were 3.70 E+1 cells/ cm3, while in the previous records it was 1.71 E+1 cell/ cm3, which could returned to nourishment foreign sediment which suffocates the natural flora as increasing the calcium carbonate % in the same time is considered a confirmation for that.
The average of the nematodes during summer of 2007 ranged from 4.00 E+1 at El Shatbi to 1.04 E+4 individual/ cm2, while in winter 2007 ranged from 4.00 E+1 at El Shatbi to 2.04 E+3 individual/cm2 at San Stefano. After considering the pre-development data it was found that in summer, it is clear that in summer, a significance increase in Nematode numbers take place from 1.62 E+2 Nematodes / 10 cm2 to 3.69 E+2 Nematodes / 10 cm2 in 2007. In the contrary, in winter a significant decrease in its numbers occurred from 5.37 E+2 Nematodes / 10 cm2 to 3.92 E+2 Nematode / 10 cm2 .This significant decrease in winter, following the same trend of the Benthic diatoms as it feed on them and on the other benthic fauna community.
Chemical parameters measured in sediment such as: CaCO3 % in 2007 ranged from 1.35 % at Sidi Bishr to 45.35% at Gleem and in 2013 ranged from 8.23% at El Shatbi to 57.22% at Sidi Gaber. After reviewing the pre-development results the following has been found, calcium carbonate was 64.95% decreased significantly to21.05 % in 2007 then increased significantly to 29.18% in 2013, which means that the dumping materials was
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not from a calcerious originin 2007, while in 2013 the sediment is returinig to its normal state, this changes will consiquently alter the natural fauna and flora living on it, although this changes is found to be in significant.
Magnesium Carbonate in coastal sediment in 2007 ranged from 0.65% at Sidi Bishr to 15.82% at El-Maamoura and in 2013 ranged from 7.69% at San Stifano to 3.88% at Sidi Gaber. After comparing with the pre-development data it was found that, Magnesium Carbonate before the development was 14.55 % decreased to 6.95 % in 2007 then increased to 25.29 % in 2013, which means also that the dumping materials wasn’t form the composition of the natural sediment, but in 2013 the sediment seems to be returning to its equilibrium, the change is found to be significant only in 2013.
Total Carbonate % in 2007 ranged from 2% at Sidi Bishr to 61% at Gleem and in 2013 ranged from 20% at Sidi Bishr to 96.1% at Cleopatra, considering the previous recorded data it was found that Total Carbonate content was97.5 % before the development decreased to29.5 % in 2007 and increased to 55.07% in 2013, which refers to the nourishment sediment wasn’t from a carbonaceous origin.
Considering the grain size analysis of the sediment the results of the obtained parameters were as follow: The mean grain size in 2007 ranged from -0.80 (very coarse sand) at San Stefano to 1.17 (medium sand) El Maamoura, while in 2013 ranged from 0.58 (coarse sand) at Sidi Gaber to 2.40 (fine sand) at El Maamoura, after comparing the results of the two years of the present study with the previous data, it is found that the mean sizebefore the development was described as 0.3 (coarse sand) changed to 0.02(very coarse sand) in 2007 and to 1.4 (medium sand) in 2013, which means that in 2007 a foreign sediment has been introduced which was coarser than the beach normal sand and in 2013 the beach not only returned to its formal mean size before the development, the change is found to be significant and the particles became smaller which indicates a deposional activities may be attributed to a decreased wave action as a result of breaking water and jetties construction.
The sediment Sorting in 2007 ranged from 0.39 (well sorted) at Sidi Bishr and El Anfoushi to 1.07 (poorly sorted) at Sporting, while in 2013 Sorting ranged from 0.47 (well sorted) at El Maamoura to 1.15 (poorly sorted) at San Stefano, regarding the sorting of the pre developmental activities, it was found that the sediment sorting was described as 0.43 (well sorted) it changed in 2007 to 0.81 (moderately sort) and in 2013 to 0.65 (moderately well sort). This changes found to be significant especially in 2007 where it was directly after the development but in 2013 showed a kind of recovery where the sediment sorting is trying to return to its previous state.
Sediment skewness in 2007 ranged from -0.29 (coarse skewed) at El Maamoura, Sidi Gaber, Sporting and El Anfoushi to 0.19 (fine skewed) at San Stefano, Gleem, Stanley, while in 2013 ranged from -0.55 (strongly coarse skewed) at El Maamoura and Stanley to 0.21 (fine skewed) at San Stefano, Gleem and El Shatbi, regarding the pre development data it is found that before the beach development the sediment was -0.21 (fine skewed) that changed to 0.02 and 0.03 (near symmetrical) in both 2007 and 2013 respectively, the change is found to be insignificant.
The sediment Kurtosis in 2007 ranged from 0.34 (very platykurtic) at Sidi Bishr, Cleopatra and Sporting to 2.25 (very leptokurtic) at Sidi Bishr and Sidi Gaber, while in
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2013 sediment kurtosis ranged from 0.115 (very platykurtic) at El Maamoura to 1.21 (leptokurtic) at Sidi Bishr, Stanley and Sidi Gaber, after comparing this results with the previous results it is found that, before the development, the sediment was 0.97(mesokurtic) changed to 0.86 (platikurtic) in 2007 and to 1.01(leptokurtic) in 2013, the change is found to be insignificant.
from the study, it can be concluded that the dumping material used in widening Alexandria coastal road had affected the natural ecosystem and deviated its normal specifications, which affected consequently on the biological community living on it and the water quality, but afterward the environment had returned its equilibrium and overcome the man-made effects.
The study recommends making more researches about the type of material that should be used in beach nourishments, which should be environmentally friendly, or from a biogenic source.