Determining Pollution Level for the Marine Environment Using the Pollution Load Index

Abstract

Monitoring means Monitoring, Data, Indicators, Assessment, and Knowledge. Based on this context the Pollution Load Index (PLI), has been applied using the data obtained from the analysis of water and algae. Algae and Posidonia oceanic were considered as good candidates among the different species selected by the United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP). The concentrations of the metals (Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cu) were measured in two marine green algae namely Ulva sp and Enteromorpha sp, that were collected from four Sites, during the winter and summer seasons. The results of the PLI calculated showed that the values for Enteromorpha species were 1.2 indicating a polluted condition, while PLI values for Ulva species were 3.3. With regard to site B (Juliana area), the PLI value for Ulva species was found to be 4.1 indicating an acceptable condition while it was a clean condition for the Enteromorpha species at the same sites. Enteromorpha species is a good accumulator of heavy metals and could be also a good candidate for monitoring the Libyan coastline. The results also show that the PLI index could be an important tool for the assessment of the marine environment.