RESPONSE OF PLANKTONIC ORGANISMS TO AN ACCIDENTAL OIL SPILLAGE IN THE ARABIAN GULF ECOSYSTEM

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Suez Canal Univ., Faculty of Science, Ismal Ia, Egypt

Abstract

On January 7, 1998, an accidental oil spillage was detected at Umm Al-Quwain shores of the United Arab Emirates in the Arabian Gulf. The source of spillage was found to be a sinking down of the oil tanker "Banton 300", 5 miles far from Umm Al-Quwain shores. The response of planktonic organisms to an accidental spillage of 10000 tons of Iranian crude oil was
studied. Bacterioplankton, protozooplankton as well as, phytoplankton groups were the more tolerant organisms on one hand, and the zooplankton group was a sensitive indicator of environmental hydrocarbon contamination of the accidental spillage on the other.

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