Brines Modelling Progress: A Management Tool for Tunisian Multipond Solar Salterns, Based on Physical, Chemical and Microbial Parameters

Abstract

The physicochemical and microbial characterizations of 17 brine samples collected from a Tunisian solar saltern over three separate seasons, has been investigated. A regression analysis was applied to evaluate the multiple factors affecting the microbial density. The results revealed significant changes within the saline ponds. The factorial correspondences analysis (FCA) of the selected parameters, revealed four groupings displaying a positive relationship between: salt concentration, total organic carbon, turbidity, redox potential, total phosphorus, K⁺, Mg²⁺, SO₄ ²⁻ and microbial abundance - when inversely correlated with the dissolved O₂, pH and Ca²⁺ grouping. Furthermore, a strong dependence of prokaryotes to the microalgue Dunaliella was also recorded. It is considered that the establishment of these models, may prove to be of value in the prediction of brine characteristics during commercial salt processing.

Keywords:

• solar saltern
• brines
• factorial correspondence analysis
• prokaryotes
• Dunaliella

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the COTUSAL staff for organizing the sampling trips and for the help presented in providing the samples and for the stimulating discussions and fruitful suggestions. We are grateful to Mrs. Hela Chabouni Fourati, an English teacher trainer in the area of Sfax, and M. Mike Anderson, professor in Staffordshire University (UK), for their help with the English language.