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The export of phosphate in Aqaba port is very big and can reach to more than 3 million tons each year. Assuming 0.01% of the phosphate ore is lost as dust (1-2mm off the pile per day), this is about 5x102 tons of phosphate ore or about 500,000 kg\yr, at least 500 tons more than the port of Eilat. This phosphate ore will dissolve in seawater but rates of dissolution in the Gulf sediments are not available. It is well known that many marine systems that have excess phosphate have either stimulated nitrogen fixation, or more probably, enabled any fixed-nitrogen to be retained in the food chain, stimulating an increase in organic matter cycling within the northern Gulf. Because of the sewage in Aqaba the present imputs of nitrogen by sewage are 24x106 mol N\yr from Aqaba ( the IET noted that Aqaba is reported to be moving toward land -based sewage disposal). (this was taken from expert report of: Evaluation of pollution in the Gulf of Eilat) |