MARINE POLLUTION BY HYDROCARBONS AND ITS IMPACT ON MICROFAUNA: THE CASE OF BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA IN THE CONGOLESE ATLANTIC BASIN

This work traces the negative impact that microfauna suffers during the discharge of petroleum products in the Congolese Atlantic basin. It shows how much pollution in the marine environment poses a threat to the ecosystem. This study is based on sediments taken from several boreholes. The research work undertaken has highlighted the pollution of marine ecosystems by hydrocarbons. Geochemical analysis of the sediments shows heavy metal concentrations higher than natural standards. Micropaleontological analysis shows that benthic foraminifera receive and absorb most of the pollutants released into the marine environment. This leads to disturbances in the metabolic system, species malformations, and a numerical and qualitative reduction in biodiversity that is a hindrance to interpretation. Indeed, these results show that 29.16% of polluted benthic foraminifera are unidentifiable. Spread from the infralittoral environment to the bathyal environment, the families Ammoniidae, Bolivinidae, Buliminidae,Cassidulinidae,Cibicididae, Eponididae, Nonionidae, Rhabdamminidae, Textulariidae and Uvigerinidae are the most affected by this pollution. Thus,the seabed is exposed to all types of anthropogenic degradation, in particular to the full spectrum of toxic pollutants. Oil pollution of marine waters poses a real threat to the health of marine ecosystems.