Studies on salinity, sodicity and Pb in waters, soils and plants in some sites in Nile delta

Abstract EN

Irrigation with untreated or partially treated wastewater causes adverse physical and chemical affects on soil properties, crop quality and production.

Plant contents of contaminants particularly heavy metals accumulate in the edible parts.

A survey was conducted on Mostohor, Akrasha, Al-Gabl Al-Asfar and Shebeen which use different sources of irrigation waters including municipal, industrial and normal waters (non-contaminated water).

The highest EC, Na+, Cl- and Pb2+ were in Akrasha recording 2.96 dSm-1, 10.99, 15.7 mmolc L-1 and 0.15 mgL-1 respectively and content of EC, Na+, Cl- and Pb2+ were 8.6 dSm-1, 14.69, 46 mmolc L-1 and 205 mgL-1 respectively.

High Pb in plant was associated with high Pb content in soil and water.

Shebeen site ranked second followed by Al-Gabl Al-Asfar site then Mostohor which was the non-polluted site.