{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.012345679012345678, 'fraction_numerical': 0.018518518518518517, 'mean_word_length': 4.884488448844884, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Impact of phosphate factory on the biological characteristics of North Lebanon surface sediments (Levantine Basin)

This study aims to analyse the surface sediment of Batroun coastal area in North Lebanon in order to reveal the integrating impact of Selaata chemical plant on its biological properties. Sediment samples were collected with cores by diving at 12 stations in summer period between mid July and beginning of August 2003. The values of the hydobiological parameters in the first 3 cm were ranging respectively between: 4.17 to 7.9 for pH, 0 to 171 mV for Eh,, 0 to 0.94 µg.g-1 for chlorophyll a and 24 to 4166 ind.10 cm-2 for meiofauna. The results showed that there was a reverse relationship between chlorophyll a and meiofauna and that Batroun marine area could be separated in two main areas of influence The first area includes the stations located in front of the main north-western emissary and where the sediments were more acid and less oxygenated with strong odour of hydrogen sulphide accompanied with high chlorophyll a contents and low numbers of meiofauna. The second area is consisted of stations located to the south or far offshore from the plant and where the sediments are characterized by lower acidity and higher redox potential with low chlorophyll a concentrations and higher population of meifauna. Exception could be found in some stations like M8 and M 13 that presented particular cases. The impact on the biological indices was limited to plant proximity where conditions were more perturbing and the variability in the concentrations of chlorophyll a and the numbers of meiofauna were not depending on sediments compositions but on the nature and toxicity of particulate matters rejected out of plant's emissaries such as the phosphogypsum.