Environmental Assessment of El-Gharbia Main Drain Water

Samples of water, sediments and aquatic plants were collected from different sites along EL-Gharbia main drain. The sampling processes were carried out seasonally. The collected samples were subjected for a series of analyses, in terms of total and available contents of macro nutrients and potentially toxic elements (PTEs), biological investigation (pathogens contents) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD). Water samples taken at most of the study sites during the year can be regarded acceptable for agricultural use, but only under particular conditions. On the other hand, these waters are not appropriate for agricultural use from a biological point of view. Enrichment factor (EF) values of the sediments were low for Mn, Zn, Co, B, Co, Cr, Ni and Pb in all seasons and at most sites. Unlike the EF values of the aforementioned PTEs, the enrichment factor for cadmium was generally, high at most sites within the four seasons. EF values of Pb were moderate at most sites. The bioaccumulation factor (BCF) values of the shoot of aquatic plants and BCF values of the roots were generally high for most elements in all seasons. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that these metals were originated from natural (Cd, Co, B and Cu) and anthropogenic (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni and Cr) sources.