Spatial and Temporal Assessment of Sewage Pollution of Kuwait Coastal Areas Using Fecal Sterols as Biomarkers

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Discharge of untreated wastewater (sewage) to marine areas is potentially a very important source of pollution. Sewage discharge has been linked to coastal eutrophication, harmful algal blooms and accumulation of toxic substances in coastal sediments. Untreated or partially treated sewage has been discharged to marine areas in Kuwait since long time. However, the recent failure of Mishref pumping station resulted in continuous discharge of large volume of sewage for many months. The levels of fecal sterols in marine sediments have been shown to be a reliable indicator of sewage pollution. The results of a recently concluded preliminary study (using fecal sterols as indicators of sewage) clearly showed that marine sediments in the coastal areas receiving the sewage were heavily contaminated. These results highlighted the need for taking stock of the sewage-related pollutants in Kuwait’s marine areas. The research proposed in this project will fulfill this need. Surface sediment samples will be collected from all over the marine areas of Kuwait (a total of about 160 samples). In addition, core samples from selected locations (about 40) will also be collected and analyzed by GC/MS for their fecal sterol contents. The results will show the spatial and temporal distribution of sewage pollution of Kuwait’s marine area.