Pollution of water resources from industrial effluents: a case study - Benghazi, Libya

Water shortage problem is considered to be one of the biggest problems facing the middle eastern region, specifically the Arab countries located in semi-arid zones. The natural water resources of the region are suffering from outside control dominated by complex political circumstances, and inside deteriorations imposed by the combination of a fast growing population, and the challenges of industrialization which increases the water demands for domestic, agricultural and industrial applications. This puts a high stress on the natural water resources and make them vulnerable to pollution. This paper investigates the problem of pollution caused by industrial wastes, evaluates prevention means, and promotes desalination techniques.