PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON IMPACT OF THERMAL POLLUTION ON ALGAL VEGETATION IN FRONT OF ELARISH POWER PLANT

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Biological and Geological Sciences Department, Faculty of Education, Suez Canal University, ElArish, Egypt.

Abstract

The ecological survey of the algal vegetation at ElArish coast ( ̴ 30 Km) was recorded for the first time at spring 2000. Ninety species of marine algae were identified from eight stations, extending between ElRisa (eastward) and ElZaranik (westward). Sixteen species of green algae, 4 species of brown algae, 13 species of red algae, 10 species of blue-greens and 46 species of diatoms were recorded. The power plant exerted negative effect on the nature of the surrounding area. It caused obvious corrosion of the sandy shore in front of the power plant. Warm effluents at the outlet led to complete disappearance of seaweeds however; excessive growth of the tolerant species of diatoms and blue-green algae was noticed. Twenty-nine species (24 diatoms. 5 blue-greens) had been recorded only from the cooling water station.

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