Hygienic investigation of coastal waters of the upper Adriatic Sea.

In the course of the bathing season of 1989, investigations of bathing waters were carried out in two-week intervals. From the point of view of public health, the chemical-physical and microbiological results do not suggest objections against bathing at the beach areas investigated (Grado, Lignano). However, these favorable results do not imply intact ecological conditions. National and international standards are designed for humans and allow only very limited conclusions about the living conditions of the marine ecosystem. This also means that ecological investigations are not sufficient to permit conclusions about hygienic conditions. In spite of this seeming contradiction, hygienic and ecological concerns are clearly identical. Hygienic measures must not be limited to local "cosmetic" corrections but must target foremost unfavorable basic conditions.