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RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Joel B — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:03:07 GMT

it very likely is red due to purple sulfur bacteria, which thrive in anoxic conditions. So the red lagoon may be that color due to heavier BOD loading.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Shaybah — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 01:37:34 GMT

Excellent discussion. I have three lagoons experiencing the same condition in the Empty Quarter. They were not red when I went on vacation three weeks ago. Although I suspected an algae bloom I was not sure as the color was so uniform.

I unfortunately do not have access to a microscope to confirm but do agree that the addition of aeration units may resolve the issue if final discharge is contemplated. If no final discharge you may have to address odor problems which can also be addressed tgrough aeration.

Cheers,

Shaybah in the desert

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Sabir — Thu, 17 May 2007 00:26:53 GMT

Excellent, practical way to be get benefited from this technical forum.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

david jenkins — Wed, 16 May 2007 11:37:47 GMT

If you would care to contact me off-line I will send you instructions on how to sample and send sample to me for microscopic analysis. I will analyze these for you gratis as my contribution to the effort in Iraq. As a disclaimer, my offer does not imply either an endorsement or a condemnation of what is going on over there. It is a purely humanitarian offer!

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Sabir — Tue, 15 May 2007 09:02:01 GMT

I am suspecting the colours in alpha & bravo due to Green sulphur bacteria (e.g. Chlorobium sp.) containing green pigment ‘Isorenieratene’ and Red sulphur bacteria (e.g. Chromatium sp.) containing red pigment ‘Okenone’. May be due to higher sulphur content (extensive use of sulphur in ammunitions and explosives making) these bacteria are growing efficiently and dominated in one area due to their particular nutritional and other requirements. Like Purple-red sulphur bacteria normally respire anaerobically and the presence of oxygen hinders their growth. But if this colour either due to any reason is problomatic to you? if it is; in what sense? Further information like DO, TOC, pH etc will be more helpful to investigate the root cause.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Sabir — Tue, 15 May 2007 08:06:14 GMT

Image of the red lagoon, due to bacteria.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

bodhi — Mon, 14 May 2007 19:09:48 GMT

what i found interesting from experience in Afghanistan is that some of these wastewater lagoons have been accepting wastewater for a couple of years without any discharge. this stuff has been concentrating for a long time. when the temperature hits, you can expect problems with maintaining dissolved oxygen in these systems. i wish i had a microscope to see if it were worms present, but don't feel frustrated my friend, you have great resources within KBR. I don't know your email structure now that KBR/Halliburton is separated, but if you can get in touch with Michael Shockey in Kandahar, he is a great help. If you do, tell him Randy sends his best.

Keep your head down.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

John Sansalone — Sat, 12 May 2007 14:16:24 GMT

It may be the worms (I'd second the opinion of using a microscope), but my first guess would be the algae. There can still be a "bloom", even if it is not forming large mats, as you would expect with the blue / green type. I recall one local pond, which received a discharge from a small sand filter, that at least once had the interesting case of one side turning red, and the other side green. It turned out to be a couple of diffeent varieties of algae, but freaked out the locals for a while.

Jerry - are you suggesting that worms are part of a communist plot ?

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

bodhi — Tue, 01 May 2007 14:29:19 GMT

Hi Kevin. I observed the same "red" color at Lake Kandahar and Camp Solerno. I think it may be influenced by the presence of a laundry (phosphorus), and other nutrients (ammonia) used in the portapotties in theater, combined with the high heat. There was some conversation about the possibility of tiny red "worms" being the cause. I would like to have had the opportunity to have tried pH neutralization of the incoming ammonia to see the effect but my contract ended. Sure do miss those wonderful days in the desert. Keep your head down and remember to keep hydrated.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Magdy Mokhtar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:30:51 GMT

Hi,

I had a problem like this before, in a lagoons system in Port Said city- Egypt. I had wide red spots in the facultative lagoons. I found a description of this case in a book (Wastewater environmental impact) Dr. Fox, 1955 said that this is caused by the breading of Daphnia species, and when Oxygen is consumed by this big population of daphnia , Daphnia has the ability to produce like Hemoglobin inside there bodies to use the very low DO. So if this is your case, look for Daphnia, if this is true, try to find a way to increase the DO.

Good Luck

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Jerry — Fri, 26 May 2006 15:55:56 GMT

Us young wippersnappers pick up bad sayings like that from our elders.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Rotifer — Thu, 25 May 2006 08:56:57 GMT

Jerry....your showing your age...I havent heard

that saying for 25 years

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Jerry — Fri, 19 May 2006 20:18:45 GMT

Maybe lagoon bravo is a commie pinko.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

rwhitworth52 — Fri, 19 May 2006 17:06:41 GMT

Is it possible that the red is from bristle worms? They store iron at the base of their bristles, making wastewater appear red, if the population is very high. This may be causing the red color in Bravo lagoon. Alpha has raw sewage in and probably no DO. The worms require oxygen. I take it you don’t have a microscope. Send a sample to Camp Victory, someone their should have a scope and can tell you if its algae or not. Good luck with your tour in Iraq.

RE: Red Lagoon in Iraq

Dvant — Thu, 18 May 2006 11:41:05 GMT

Not for nothing, but I think your on track with the algae. I saw algae blooms in Alaska both red and green. They could make the water look like someone dumped a dye marker.

Is there a temperature, DO, or pH difference between the lagoons? I would check out aquarium sites, they seem to know what can bring on red algae.

Good luck,

Mark

Red Lagoon in Iraq

kevinjctx — Thu, 18 May 2006 09:26:09 GMT

I am in Iraq and have three lagoons to operate. My background is contact stabilization so I"m new to this. For now they are containment only. No discharge. The Euphrates Rives is only 3 miles away but in hostile territory. Lagoon Alpha flow into Bravo and then into Charlie. Total capacity is around 31 million gallons. Black and grey water trucks are dumped into Alpha which is full and Bravo has about 2 ft with Charile still empty. My problem is that Bravo has turn very red and Alpha a bright green. I've researched it and think it might be algae but there are no blooms. Why Bravo and not Alpha?

Kevin Cochran

KBR Services Inc.