ASSESSMENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATUS OF THE BATHING WATERS IN VARNA BLACK SEA REGION

Anna Simeonova^a*, Rozalina Chuturkova^a , Veselina Bojilova^b, Radka Trayanova^b, Petranka Vajarova^b

^a Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Technical University-Varna, 1 Studentska str., 9010 Varna, Bulgaria

b Regional Inspection of Protection and Control of Human Health

*Author for correspondence: Tel.:+35952383272, e- mail: annsim@abv.bg

Abstract

In the present study investigations of the sources of microbiological pollution and analyzes of the microbiological status in the bathing zones of Varna Black sea region were carried out. On the territory of Varna region 22 monitoring spots were assessed. The main sources of pollution were discussed and the bathing water quality was determined regarding the microbiological parameters: “Total coliforms“, “Faecal coliforms“ and “Faecal streptococci“ according to the Bulgarian and EU Bathing Water Regulations. According to the Bulgarian Regulation ¹11/2002 recommended and mandatory limits of the microbiological parameters were guidelined.

With reference to the parameters “Total coliforms“ -100% compliance with the mandatory limits was established for all of the monitoring points in Varna region. Concerning the recommended values only several beaches exhibited some deviations (Varna Central beach-62,5% and Varna Officers beach-85,7%).

Regarding the parameter “Faecal coliforms“ most of the points were with 100% compliance with the mandatory values and some bathing zones were with deviations from the mandatory and recommended limits. Varna Central beach showed 62,5% compliance with the mandatory values and 31,25% with the recommended values; Varna Officers beach-85,7% compliance with the mandatory and 35,71% with the recommended values.

Concerning the parameter “Faecal streptococci” most of the assessed points exhibited 100% compliance with the recommended values. Low compliance with the recommended values was determined again for the Varna central beach -43,74% and Varna officers beach-57,14%.

According to the data received from the monitoring of the bathing zones a general conclusion was maid that most of the parameters were in compliance with the required mandatory limits and no risk for the recreational water users health and marine ecosystems was expected.

Keywords: bathing waters, monitoring points, microbiological parameters, faecal pollution, total coliforms, faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci

1. Introduction

During the recent years, there has been a growing concern about the coastal water quality. Coastal waters have much more water quality problems than the open sea since water exchange is usually small.

Faecal pollution of bathing waters is a serious ecological and health problem for many coastal zones all over the world. There are many research works about the feacal pollution and its health effects [1-8]. It was determined that the faecal pollution has greater impact on the health of the recreational water users than to the marine ecosystems. Generally bathing waters contains a mixture of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microbes which can pose a risk to human health and environment. The mixture of pathogen can present a hazard to the bathers where an infective dose of pathogen colonizes a suitable growth site in the body and leads to disease [9].

Bulgarian part of the Black sea region receives high environmental pressure due to its importance to man for food production, recreation, sea transport, industrial and agricultural activities. It is influenced by complicated interactions between various phenomena and processes –physical, chemical, biological and social with negative consequences especially for recreational water users. Better bathing water quality could benefit the local tourist industry, especially the coastal resorts.

The European Union has thoroughly expanded and restricted its water policy, mainly on quality standards for certain types of waters such as bathing waters. Republic of Bulgaria put enormous efforts and resources in order to harmonize the Bulgarian legislation in the field of waters with EU water legislation and to ensure its implementation in the upcoming years. Development of bathing water quality in Bulgaria is in compliance with EU Bathing Water Directive [10].

Bathing water quality assessment in Bulgaria is carried out according to the Regulation ¹11/2002[11] by monitoring of several microbiological parameters such as “Total coliforms”, “Faecal coliforms” and “Faecal streptococci”.

The aim of the present work is to investigate and analyze the microbiological parameters and sources of microbiological pollution as a potential factor for human health in the bathing zones in Varna region identified as “hot spots”.

Materials and Methods

In the period 12.04.2006 to 12.10.2006 analyzes of microbial parameters were carried out in 22 monitoring points in Varna region Black Sea coastal area, Bulgaria . Eighteen zones were investigated from which 17 were officially approved and one was optional.

Samples were taken 2 times per month for the period May- September as well as one additional sample was taken before the beginning of the bathing season (April) and one after the end of the bathing season( October). Samples were taken 30 centimetres below the water’s surface and in water that is at least 1.5 metre deep.

The following microbiological parameters were investigated: “Total coliforms“, “Faecal coliforms“, “Faecal streptococci“ in compliance with the Bulgarian National Standard(BNS) methods of analysis - BNS 173335-93 and BNS 17336-93(method of the most possible number-MPN). The applied methods were in accordance with the requirement of Regulation ¹11/2002 [11] for the quality of the bathing waters.

Results and Discussion

Description of the study area

The investigations and analyses were carried out for bathing waters quality in Varna region, Bulgaria.

Varna region is situated on the eastern part of the Bulgarian Black sea coastal area which is 380km. (230 miles). The average water temperature during the summer is C^◦ 25/Fْ 77. More than 240 sunny hours are established during May and September and more than 300 hours during July and August.

Varna region area covers 3820sq.km. or 3,44% of the territory of Bulgaria and consists of 12 municipalities. During 2007 year the Varna region population numbers 495056 which is 36,65% of the population of the North-Eastern part of Bulgaria. The region is densely populated-130 people per sq. km. while for the whole country the average population density is 70 people per sq. km. On the territory of Varna region were determined 17 bathing zones in which 44 bathing beaches were differentiated in compliance with order FD-06-7706-143/ 22.05.2006 [12].

Potential sources of microbial pollution in Varna region bathing zones

The causes of pollution of Varna region bathing zones regarding microbiological parameters could be derived from different sources.

One of the sources of the microbial pollution in the bathing beaches is the high bathers density especially in zones with low water circulation. There isn’t sufficient information in the common literature about the extent of microbial pollution caused by recreational water users. On the basis of the analyzes of the microbiological pollution caused by the bathers [13, 14, 15] a conclusion could be maid that the bathers did not cause inadmissible microbiological pollution in the bathing zones.

The main sources of microbial pollution in most of the cases are situated outside the bathing zones. The pollutants enter the bathing zones by direct and indirect flows.

The sewage treatment plants are one of the main microbial pollutants in Varna bathing zones. Thirteen sewage treatment plants are situated on the territory of Varna region and the treated waters of eight of them flow directly in Varna coastal zone. Some of these plants performed only primary treatment stage (mechanical).

The waste waters discharged by stock breeding is another source of microbiological pollution. The farms produce a lot of manure which could develop certain types of bacteria. Their systems for flushing and purification of waters do not comply with the national requirements.

Furthermore there are many little towns and villages in the region without sewerage. Mainly these are towns and villages with maximum of 2000 residents.

Another uncontrolled sources of microbial pollution are the canals designed to collect precipitation. Unfortunately these canals collect not only rain water but also untreated domestic waters flushing from some villages in the region. Six of these canals discharge their water directly in Black Sea.

Water quality

The bathing water quality was determined according to the investigated microbiological parameters: “Total coliforms“, “Faecal coliforms“ and “Faecal streptococci. According to the Bulgarian Regulation 11/2002 recommended and mandatory limits were guidelined[11].

The results of the investigation with reference to the parameter “Total coliforms” showed very low compliance with the recommended values for the points Varna – Central beach- 31,25%, Varna-Officers beach- 42,85% and “Panorama” in “Golgen sands” resort complex- 44,44% (table1, fig.1). High compliance with the recommended values is registered at the points “Riviera” and “Marine casino” in “Golgen sands” resort complex- 90,9% and 91,6% respectively; point “Chernomorez” restaurant- 91,66% and point “Small Riviera” -100% in “St. Konstantin and Elena” resort complex.

It should be emphasized that 100% compliance with the mandatory values was established for all 22 monitoring points.

Fig.1 Compliance of the measured values of “Total coliforms” parameter in Varna region bathing waters with recommended and mandatory values,%

Table 1 Bathing zones in Varna region - compliance of the measured values of the samples (in %) taken during 2006 year with the requirements of the Bulgarian Regulation 11/2002

Monitoring points	Total coliforms	Total coliforms	Faecal coliforms	Faecal coliforms	Faecal streptococci
	% Compl. with recomm. val.	% Compl. with mand. val.	% Compl. with recomm. val.	% Compl. with mand. val.	% Compl. with recomm. val.
Panorama	44.44	100.00	66.66	88.88	77.77
Marine casino	91.60	100.00	83.33	100.00	100.00
Riviera	90.90	100.00	81.81	90.90	100.00
Cabacum central	58.33	100.00	75.00	91.60	91.60
Marina hotel	58.33	100.00	58.33	100.00	83.33
Mineral swimming pool	54.54	100.00	45.45	81.80	81.81
Chernomorez restaurant	91.66	100.00	83.33	100.00	100.00
Small Riviera	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
St. Iliya	90.90	100.00	36.36	90.90	81.81
Briz 3	83.33	100.00	83.33	100.00	75.00
Officers beach	42.85	100.00	35.71	85.70	57.14
Central beach	31.25	100.00	31.25	62.50	43.75
Asparuhovo center	72.72	100.00	45.45	100.00	72.72
Asparuhovo south	75.00	100.00	87.50	100.00	75.00
“Veteran” hostel	91.66	100.00	66.66	100.00	75.00
Romantika	88.88	100.00	77.77	100.00	55.55
Shkorpilovzi central	90.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	90.00
Byala central I	66.66	100.00	77.77	88.88	100.00
Byala central	77.77	100.00	80.00	90.00	80.00
Chaika beach	88.88	100.00	100.00	100.00	88.88
“Luna”	77.77	100.00	77.77	100.00	77.77
Chernomorez hostel	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00

The data received for the parameter “Faecal coliforms” exhibited very low compliance with the recommended values again for the Varna Central beach and Varna-Officers beach-31,25% and 35,71% respectively( table1, fig.2). Higher compliance is registered at “Mineral swimming pool” in “St. Konstantin and Elena” resort complex-45,45% and at Asparuhovo -Central beach-45,45%. Highest compliance is determined at points “Riviera” in “Golgen sands” resort complex-81,81% and at “Chernomorez” restaurant in “St. Konstantin and Elena” resort complex-83,33% . 100% compliance is monitored at Shkorpilovzi Central beach and Byala Central beaches as well as at “Chernomorez” hostel situated south from Varna.

While for the parameter “Total coliforms” 100% compliance with the mandatory values was established for all of the monitoring point there was not 100% compliance with the mandatory values for the parameter “Faecal coliforms” for some of the monitoring points.Low compliance is determined at Varna Central beach-only 62,5%, then at the “Mineral swimming pool” in “St. Konstantin and Elena” resort-81,7% as well as at Varna Officers beach-85,7%. There are 13 points at which 100% compliance with the mandatory values are registered(fig.2).

Fig.2 Compliance of the measured values of “Faecal coliforms” parameter in Varna region bathing waters with recommended and mandatory values,%

For the parameter “Faecal streptococci” only recommended values are specified in Bulgarian Regulation 11/2002 for the quality of the bathing zones.

Lowest compliance is observed again for the Varna Central beach -43,74% followed by “Romantika”-situated south from Asparuhovo residential district-55,55% as well as for Varna-Officers beach- 57,14% (table1, fig.3). Higher compliance with the recommended values exhibited “St. Iliya” complex-81,81%, “Marina”hotel in “St. Konstantin and Elena” resort complex-83,33% and “Chaika” beach in Byala resort settlement- 88,88%. There are 6 points at which 100% compliance with the recommended values are registered: “Marine casino” and “Riviera” in “Golgen sands” resort complex; “Chernomorez” restaurant and “Small Riviera” in “St. Konstantin and Elena” resort complex ; Byala Central beach and “Chernomorez” hostel situated south from Varna town.

Fig. 3 Compliance of the measured values of “Faecal streptococci” parameter in Varna region bathing waters with recommended and mandatory values,%

Conclusions

The main reasons for the microbiological pollution of the bathing waters were the low capacity of some of the sewage treatment plants, the insufficient purification of the waste waters from the resorts during the summer period and the uncontrolled sources of pollution such as the canals and the recreational water users.

The bathing water quality was determined according to the investigated microbiological parameters: “Total coliforms“, “Faecal coliforms“, “Faecal streptococci“.in compliance with the Bulgarian Regulation N11/2002.

In regard to the parameter “Total coliforms“ all bathing zones were in compliance with the mandatory limits and with some deviations from the recommended limits. Unfavourable values with regard to the recommended values exhibited the monitoring points: the Varna -Central beach, Varna-Officers beach and “Panorama” in “Golgen sands” resort complex.

With reference to the parameter “Faecal coliforms“ the following bathing zones were not in compliance with the recommended and mandatory values: Varna-Officers beach and Varna-Central beach.

Deviations from the recommended values for the “Faecal streptococci” parameter showed Varna-Officers beach; Varna-Central beach and Romantika beach”-situated south from Asparuhovo residential district.

Taking into consideration the whole data collected from the monitoring of the microbiological quality of bathing waters a general conclusion could be maid that most of the parameters were in compliance with the required mandatory limits and no health risk could be expected for the recreational water users.

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