Potential impact of a seawater flue gas desulfurisation (SWFGD) effluent on coral reef communities

Abstract

A basis of available literature information there is little reason to expect that effluent from an SWFGD planned at Yanby, Saudi Arabia, will cause any damage to local coral reef formations, the nearest being about 3.5 km away. The corals may over time accumulate nicel and vanadium from the effluent, but the predicted moderate metal levels in the outfall, and the mixing of the outfall water with seawater before the reef is reached, suggest that such accumulation will be modest. Comparison of the theoretical oxygen concentration in the effluent with the normal range of the recipient seawater imlies that the outfall should not have a sigificant negative effect on ambient oxygen conditions. There may be a reason for concern regarding the effects of the elevated temperature of the outfall, but this will be due to the use as cooling water for the power station, rather than caused by the SWFGD.