The document summarizes water quality measurements taken along the Scheldt River and in the Port of Antwerp. It measured various physical, chemical, and nutrient parameters and found high levels of nutrients, carbon dioxide, and copper in some areas, indicating eutrophication and pollution from industrial and agricultural runoff. It also discussed international regulations under MARPOL to reduce ship pollution and efforts by local authorities to improve water quality in the port.

1. Expeditie Scaldis
4 Maritieme Technieken
Cenflumarin 2014
www.4mt4planeetzee.wordpress.com

2. Our project
 The numbers tell the tale - measuring
 Water quality
 The Scheldt river and the Port of Antwerp
 Monitoring
 Marpol
 Impact
 Acknowledgements

3. Measuring
 Temperature
In °C, thermometer.
 Salinity
Salinity is expressed in practical
salinity units or promille. It was
measured with a sensor.
 Pressure
Pressure at the surface = 10 dbar or
1 atm. It can also be measured with
a barometer. For large water bodies
it might indicate whether there was
high or low wind speed.
 The density
Expressed in kg/m³.
Measured with an aerometer .
Physical parameters
Salinity in
‰
Interpretation
< 0,5 fresh water
0,5 – 35 brackisch water
35 – 50 salty water
> 50 brine

4. However, when adding an acid [H+] or alkaline solution[OH-], the
pH changes gradually (the reaction has different steps):
𝐻+
𝑎𝑞 + 𝐶𝑂3
2−
𝑎𝑞 → 𝐻𝐶𝑂3
−
(𝑎𝑞)
Measuring
 De pH is an indication of the acidity of the solution.
Chemical parameters: pH
𝒑𝑯 = − 𝐥𝐨𝐠[𝑯+
] = [ 𝟏 𝟏𝟒]
pH<7 pH=7 pH>7
acid neutral alkaline
𝐻+
𝑎𝑞 + 𝐻𝐶𝑂3
−
𝑎𝑞 → 𝐻2 𝐶𝑂3 𝑎𝑞
𝑂𝐻−
𝑎𝑞 + 𝐻2 𝐶𝑂3 𝑎𝑞 → 𝐻2 𝑂 𝑙 + 𝐻𝐶𝑂3
−
𝑎𝑞
𝑂𝐻−
𝑎𝑞 + 𝐻𝐶𝑂3
−
𝑎𝑞 → 𝐻2 𝑂 𝑙 + 𝐶𝑂3
2−
𝑎𝑞
 As H2O is a polar bonding and NaCl is an ionic
bonding with a higher difference in
electronegativity, it will be easier to form free H+
ions in fresh water than in salt water. Salty water
will thus have a buffer before becoming more
acidic. You can test this by adding lemon juice
to deionized water and salt water &
adding a pH indicator. You can also
add a base. At the left the deionized
water, at the right the salt water. Acid
in front, base in the middle & control s.
Δ EN Type of
bonding
0.0 Purely covalent
0.0 – 1.0 Mostly
covalent
1.0 – 1.6 Polar bonding
1.6 – 3.0 Mostly ionic
3.0 – 3.3 Purely ionic

5.  The total hardness GH (in °d)
indicates the concentration of
(metal) ions (usually Mg+ & Ca2+,
but also SO4
2- & HCO3
-).
 The carbonate hardness KH (in°d) is
the ability of the solution to bind
with an acid. In hard water
calcium can be precipitated to
form calcium carbonate:
Measuring
Chemical parameters
𝐶𝑎2+
𝑎𝑞 + 2𝐻𝐶𝑂3
−
𝑎𝑞 → 𝐶𝑎𝐶𝑂3 ↓ 𝑠 + 𝐻2O l + 𝐶𝑂2 (𝑎𝑞)
Chemical parameters: Heavy metals
 Heavy metals such as Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn are toxic and are conserved
in the body. They can enter the water by sewage, fuel residue, by
seeping through a polluted soil or by air pollution.
 We only measured Cu (since it is a component of fuel)
 The normative value is Cu < 100 µg/l

6. Measuring
Chemical parameters: O2 and CO2
 The concentration O2
- Cold and fresh water can contain more O2.
- Is removed from the system by respiration of
living organisms (plants & animals)
- Can also be chemically removed by
oxidation.
 The concentration CO2 can be deducted
from the KH & the pH.
- CO2 is a product of respiration, but it is
diminished by the uptake from the primary
production.
- Too much CO2 & too little O2
render a normal, healthy food web
impossible.

7. Measuring
 At the surface:
CO2 + DIC:
 2HCO3
- →
fytoplankton
(primary producers)
 Detritus is
decomposed
into DOC.
 DOC is
transformed in
DIC by
respiration(CO3
2-).
Nutriënts
𝐶𝑂2 𝑎𝑞 + 𝐻20 𝑙 + 𝐶𝑂3
2−
𝑎𝑞
⇌ 2𝐻𝐶𝑂3
−
(𝑎𝑞)

8. Measuring
 At the surface: fixation of N2 by
bacteria and solar radiation
N2 + solar radiation → NO3,
though manure (agriculture) is
also a source.
 NO3 → fytoplankton & macro-
fytes (primary producers) →
zoöplancton & benthos → fish.
 Detritus → decomposers →
ammonia (NH4).
 Denitrification: The rest of the
NO3 is transformed into NO2 by
heat. NO2 is further
decomposed into NH4 by
decomposers.
 Nitrification = biological
oxidation of NH4 into NO2 which
further oxidizes to form NO3.
 In anaërobic circumstances are
NO2 and NH4 transformed into N2
Nutriënts
N2 NO3
Manure
NH4
NO2

9. Water quality
 Salinity ↑ → density ↑
 M1 contains little O2 & a
lot of CO2 →
eutrophication
 Lots of CO2 & little O2 in
cellar → chemical
oxidation.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
Temperature
in °C
Saliniteit in
ppt
Densiteit in
kg/m³ (+
1000kg/m³)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
pH
KH in °d
O2 in mg/l
CO2 in mg/l

10. Water quality
 NO3 are more abundant than
NO2 or NH4 in all measurement
points.
 Nitrites are relatively low which
is good (they are toxic to
some species).
 High concentrations of NH4 in
M2, M3 & M4 (lots of
nitrification by decomposers)
 PO4 is high in M3 (is this due to
the ancient dumping of
ammunition by the army or
due to the gardening?)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
NO3 in mg/l
NO2 in mg/l
PO4 in mg/l
NH4 in mg/l
Cu in mg/l
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
pH
KH in °d
O2 in
mg/l
CO2 in
mg/l

11. Water quality
 M6 contains a lot of NO3,
but less CO2. If we were to
remove the mud/silt
between M1 & M6 we will
achieve better water
composition.
 Cu is higher in the dock (the
fuel residue is more
concentrated)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
NO3 in mg/l
NO2 in mg/l
PO4 in mg/l
NH4 in mg/l
Cu in mg/l
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
pH
KH in °d
O2 in
mg/l
CO2 in
mg/l

12. The Scheldt &
the Port of
Antwerp N2 is too abundant.
 NO2 is better in the docks
on the right bank than the
docks on the left bank.
 O2 is alright in the Scheldt,
but sufficient to low in the
docks.
 PO4 is too abundant in the
docks on the left bank
(agriculture/sewage?).

13. The Scheldt &
the port of
Antwerp
 Cd, Ni & Pb are within
the norms
 There is still too much
mercury (Hg) which
entered the river through
one of its tributaries.
 Other metals might also
be toxic:
- Zinc Zn
- Arsenic As

14. The Scheldt &
the port of
Antwerp
Erosion
Industry
Household
Shipping
Source unknown
Direct deposition
Agriculture

15. MARPOL
 MARPOL is the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships.
 It is mandatory for all 163 IMO member states (IMO:
International Maritime Organization).
 It has 6 annexes, each for a different type of pollution
that are regularly amended.
 MARPOL demands ship hold a certificate to certify that
they comply with regulations of each annex regarding
their equipment, record books and shipboard storage
and treatment facilities.

16. MARPOL
Annex Certificate Record book Plan Speciale areas Conditions to jettison
1. Oil IOPP Oil Record Book part I
Oil Record Book part 2
SOPEP The Mediterranean
The Baltic
The Black Sea
The Red Sea
Gulf of Aden
The North Sea
The Arabic Sea
The Antartic zone
below 60°S
At least 50 nautical
miles away from the
coast, ship must be
making way and max
15 ppm.
(ODME: Oil Device
Measuring Equipment
that measures and
dilutes until below
15ppm)
2.Chemicals in
bulk
NLS Cargo Record Book SMPEP The Antartic zone
below 60°S
Only in emergencies, at
12’ away from the
coast with a minimum
depth of 25m and at a
speed of at least 7
knots.
3. Packaged
chemicals
Dangerous Goods
Manifest + IMDG –
conform stowage
plan
EmS as in
IMDG –
code
EmS procedures as
specified in the
International Maritime
Dangerous Goods
code (IMDG)
4. Sewage ISPP Grinded and
desinfected at 4’,
otherwise at 12’ away
from the coast and at
a speed of at least 4
knots

17. MARPOLAnnex Certifi
cate
Record
book
Plan Speciale areas where it is
prohibited to jettison
Conditions to jettison
5. Garbage Garbage
record
book
Garbage
manage -
ment
plan
The Mediterranean until the
Bosporus
The Baltic until Skagerrak
The Black Sea
The Red Sea until Ras Si Hanne –
husun Murad
The Persian Gulf and the
Arabian Sea until Rass All Hadd –
ras Al Fasteh
The North Sea
The Antartic Zone below 60°S
The Caribbean(Golf of Mexico
and the Caribbean Sea)
No plastic
Floating waste at 25’, other waste
at 12’ away from the coast. If the
waste is grinded until Φ < 25mm, at
3’ away from the coast.
6. Air
pollution
IAPP The North Sea
The Baltic Sea
The ue of low sulphur fuels is
mandatory in the special areas.
The exhaust of Nox and CO2 is
diminished by adjusting the speed
or using a scrubber.
Never incinerate plastic!
Never incinerate on a river, always
at high sea.

18. Impact
 The environment coordinator of our National Defense, Mr. Eddy
Vandekeere has been measuring on the school grounds. The
soil is contaminated with fuel and needs to be purified in 2016.
 Ir. De Deckere of the Port of Antwerp has attended a
presentation by our students on April, 24th, 2014. He also
presented the efforts made by the Port of Antwerp in the field
of water quality in the docks, prevention of oil pollution, ship
routeing, ecology and safety on the Scheldt river.
 We planned to clean the dock on May, 11th 2014 with divers
but visibility was too poor.
 Sulphur also
enhances the
primary
production &
causes a rapid
depletion of O2.
We should ask
the school
whether it could
afford the use of
low sulphur fuels.

19. Acknowledgements
 Material
 Information
 Logistics/ Partners: