Anomalies of Ca2+ and SO42 in the Bardawil Lagoon, Northern Sinai

Abstract

The waters of the inner lagoons in the Bardawil lagoon show a positive Ca2+ and SO42‒ anomaly, caused by the dissolution of gypsum layers from the bottom. The gypsum layer that was precipitated in the past from brines having chlorinities higher than 3.3 times that of normal seawater is being redissolved in the present lagoon waters, from which gypsum could not precipitate as the chlorinity now does not exceed 2.5 times that of normal seawater.