الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Twenty samples of water, sediment, and three aquatic plants, namely Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex. Steudel, Typha domingensis (Pers.), and Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, were collected from ten stations and analyzed to determine the pollution status with heavy metals in two drains (Kitchener and New Damietta) in the Nile Delta, Egypt, during summer and winter. Ten indices were used to evaluate the ecological risk caused by these metals. Physicochemical characteristics, nutrients, and bacteriological indicators of surface water were evaluated. Heavy metal concentrations in the water and sediment samples in both drains followed the order: Fe > Pb > Cu > Cd. The results revealed that Cd and Pb concentrations in water and sediment at the Kitchener drain were higher than those at the New Damietta drain and exceeded the maximum permissible limits of the Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). Eichhornia crassipes accumulates higher concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Cd than the other plant species, while Phragmites australis exhibited the highest concentration of Fe. The study’s plant species showed a decreased rate of metal translocation and distribution from their belowground tissues to their aboveground tissues. The results indicated that the total bacterial count (TBC) exceeded the recommended level (1000 CFU/mL) specified by Egyptian Law No. 48/1982 for pollution protection of the Nile and waterways. Similarly, the Total Coliform (TC) values exceed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) acceptable limit for wastewater usage in irrigation (1000CFU/100ml). This study may aid in the remediation of the two drains with minimal hazards or environmental risk. The outcomes will be helpful in managing sediment and polluted water in both drains as best they can. |