title: Microbial water quality and sedimentary faecal sterols as markers of sewage contamination in Kuwait.
abstract: Microbial water quality and concentrations of faecal sterols in sediment have been used to assess the degree of sewage contamination in Kuwait's marine environment. A review of microbial (faecal coliform, faecal streptococci and Escherichia coli) water quality data identified temporal and spatial sources of pollution around the coastline. Results indicated that bacterial counts regularly breach regional water quality guidelines. Sediments collected from a total of 29 sites contained detectable levels of coprostanol with values ranging from 29 to 2420 ng g(-1) (dry weight). Hot spots based on faecal sterol sediment contamination were identified in Doha Bay and Sulaibikhat Bay, which are both smaller embayments of Kuwait Bay. The ratio of epicoprostanol/coprostanol indicates that a proportion of the contamination was from raw or partially treated sewage. Sewage pollution in these areas are thought to result from illegal connections and discharges from storm drains, such as that sited at Al-Ghazali.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Weymouth Laboratory, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UK. Electronic address: brett.lyons@cefas.co.uk.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.affiliation: James Cook University, Catchment Reef Research Group, TropWater, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.affiliation: Kuwait Environment Public Authority, P.O. Box 24395, Safat 13104, Kuwait.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Abdul Hamid
authors.affiliation: Kuwait Environment Public Authority, P.O. Box 24395, Safat 13104, Kuwait.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Al-Otiabi
authors.affiliation: Kuwait Environment Public Authority, P.O. Box 24395, Safat 13104, Kuwait.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Enezi
authors.affiliation: Kuwait Environment Public Authority, P.O. Box 24395, Safat 13104, Kuwait.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Massoud
authors.affiliation: Kuwait Environment Public Authority, P.O. Box 24395, Safat 13104, Kuwait.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Al-Zaidan
authors.affiliation: Cefas, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Weymouth Laboratory, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Cefas, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bersuder
authors.affiliation: Cefas, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.affiliation: Cefas, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papachlimitzou
authors.affiliation: Kuwait Environment Public Authority, P.O. Box 24395, Safat 13104, Kuwait.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Al-Sarawi
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays; D004083:Cholestanol / Q000032:analysis; D002777:Cholestanols / Q000032:analysis; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D007730:Kuwait; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis; D013261:Sterols / Q000032:analysis*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D002777:Cholestanols; D012722:Sewage; D013261:Sterols; D004083:Cholestanol; C523170:epicoprostanol
keywords: Coprostanol; Faecal sterols; Kuwait; Microbial water quality