Abstract
Water samples collected during April 1982-April 1983 from Red Sea coastal waters at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were investigated for dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, dissolved lipid, dissolved organic phosphorus, dissolved monosaccharides, total dissolved sugars and dissolved polysaccharides. The variations in the observed dissolved matter distribution pattern are caused by its release by phytoplankton in the various stages of its growth, release from detrital materials and its pouring from exogenous sources like domestic wastes or other types of pollutants, and their utilization by heterotrophic organisms. Extremely high DOC values at two stations can be attributed to the direct effect of untreated wastes at those two locations. Since the consumption of oxygen is intimately linked to the oxidation of organic matter, in the presence of high concentrations of organic matter the consumption rate of oxygen will exceed that of its supply, leading to a reducing condition which favors the accumulation of excess organic matter. (Baker-IVI)