Physico-chemical characteristics of seawater in the Bay of Vlora, Albania

This study was conducted between May and September 2013 in the Gulf of Vlora, an important area of ecological, economic and tourism in south - west Albania. The study aims at determining: (a) the quality of marine waters in the Gulf of Vlora analyzing physical - chemical parameters, (b) the status of the area in support of economic development and tourism. The employed method was the monitoring data for the specified period. The data for temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, were obtained using multiparameter portable instrument. Also transparency measurement is performed using disk Sechin. Results of measuring the temperature of the water showed that they differ, depending on seasons and sampling areas. The lower and higher temperature measured in February were around 13.1o C on Aug. 25 to 26.1o C . Seawater pH is fundamental to living creatures, and they had measured values ranging from 7.86 to 8.14. Values of salinity in the Bay of Vlora consider various comparisons between monitored stations. In physico-chemical indicators of marine waters of the Bay of Vlora, as very influential factors in particular seasons or months of the year, affect the solid Izvori river, Dukati and Vjosaas well as marine currents that determine the displacement of marine sediments, which cannot be excluded Vlora Bay.