Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Metal concentrations in irrigation canals and the Nile River in an intensively exploited agricultural area

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Concentrations of major and trace elements (Al, Fe, Mn, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, and Zn) were determined in water and sediments from irrigation canals and the Nile River in an agricultural area of 120 km2 to evaluate the impact of agricultural practices and the spatial distribution and mobility of these elements. The enrichment factors of cadmium indicate contamination in this area. Metal pollution indices are higher at locations downstream of the irrigation canals, possibly a consequence of waste discharges and phosphate fertilizing. Comparisons with consensus-based sediment quality guidelines revealed that ∼92 % (Cr), ∼85 % (Cu), ∼46 % (Ni), and ∼23 % (Zn) of the samples exceeded the threshold effect concentrations, with 7.7 % for Cr and Ni being above the probable effect concentration. Contamination with many metals in water was found in the secondary irrigation canals. The partition coefficients of all determined metals were evaluated. The major elements Al, Fe, and Mn were found to be very mobile while V was the least mobile.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, S. E. (1989). Chemical analysis of ecological materials (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anbar, A. D., & Rouxel, O. (2007). Metal Stable isotopes in paleoceanography. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 34, 717–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chetelat, B., & Gaillardet, J. (2005). Boron isotopes in the seine river, France: a probe of anthropogenic contamination. Environmental Science & Technology, 39, 2486–2493.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dai, J., Song, J., Li, X., Yuan, H., Li, N., & Zheng, G. (2007). “Environmental changes reflected by sedimentary geochemistry in recent hundred years of Jiaozhou Bay, North China”. Environmental Pollution, 145, 656–667.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DiToro, D. M., Mahony, J. D., Hansen, D. J., Scott, K. J., Hicks, M. E., Mays, S. M., & Redmont, M. S. (1990). Toxicity of cadmium in sediments: the role of acid volatile sulphides. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 9, 1487–1502.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farkas, A., Erratico, C., & Vigan, L. (2007). “Assessment of the environmental significance of heavy metal pollution in surficial sediments of the River Po”. Chemosphere, 68, 761–768.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanson, L. (1980). “An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach”. Water Research, 14, 975–1001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harikumar, P. S., Nasir, U. P., & Mujeebu, M. P. (2009). “Distribution of heavy metals in the core sediments of a tropical wetland system”. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 6, 225–232.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, G. P. (2008). “Growth of Jatrophacurcas on heavy metal contaminated soil amended with industrial wastes and Azotobacter – a greenhouse study”. Bioresource Technolology, 99, 2078–2082.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, S. P., & Edward, J. K. P. (2009). “Assessment of metal concentration in the sediment core of Manakudy estuary of south west coast of India”. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences, 38, 235–48.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kwon, Y. T., & Lee, C. W. (1998). “Application of multiple ecological risk indices for the evaluation of heavy metal contamination in a coastal dredging area”. Science of the Total Environment, 214, 203–210.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, R., Grant, C., & Sauvé, S. (2007). “Cadmium and zinc in soil solution extracts following the application of phosphate fertilizers”. Science of the Total Environment, 378, 293–305.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lion, L. W., Altmann, R. S., & Leckie, J. O. (1982). Trace metal adsorption characteristics of estuarine particulate matter: evaluation of contributions of Fe/Mn oxide and organic surface coatings. Environmental Science and Technology, 16, 660–666.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long, E. R., & MacDonald, D. D. (1998). “Recommended uses of empirically derived sediment quality guidelines for marine and estuarine ecosystems”. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 5, 1019–1039.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, E. R., Ingersoll, C. G., & MacDonald, D. D. (2006). “Calculation and uses of mean sediment quality guideline quotients: a critical review”. Environmental Science & Technology, 40, 1726–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, D. D., Carr, S., Clader, F. D., Long, E. D., & Ingersoll, C. G. (1996). “Development and evaluation of sediment quality guidelines for Florida coastal waters”. Ecotoxicology, 5, 253–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, D. D., Ingersoll, C. G., & Berger, T. A. (2000). “Development and evaluation of consensus-based sediment quality guidelines for freshwater ecosystems”. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 39, 20–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malcolm, S. J. (1985). Early diagenesis of molybdenum in estuarine sediments. Marine Chemistry, 16, 213–225.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marschall, H. R., & Jiang, S. Y. (2011). “Tourmaline isotopes: no element left behind”. Elements, 7, 313–319.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. M., & Meybeck, M. (1979). “Elemental mass-balance of material carried by major world rivers”. Marine Chemistry, 7, 173–206.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • NRC. (2004). “Canadian Minerals Yearbook: Molybdenum. National Resources Canada” Available online: http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/mms-smm/busi-indu/cmy-amc/content/2004/40.pdf

  • Pennisi, M., Gonfiantini, R., Grassi, S., & Squarci, P. (2006). The utilization of boron and strontium isotopes for the assessment of boron contamination of the Cecina River alluvial aquifer (central-western Tuscany, Italy). Applied Geochemistry, 21, 643–655.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petelet-Giraud, E., Klaver, G., & Negrel, P. J. (2009). Natural versus anthropogenic sources in the surface- and groundwater dissolved load of the Dommel River (Meuse basin): constraints by boron and strontium isotopes and gadolinium anomality. Journal of Hydrology, 369, 336–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rowell, D. L. (1994). Soil science: methods and applications. England: Longman Scientific and Technical.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinex, S. A., & Wright, D. A. (1988). “Distribution of trace metals in the sediments and biota of chesapeake Bay”. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 19, 425–431.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomlinson, D. L., Wilson, J. G., Harris, C. R., & Jeffrey, D. W. (1980). “Problems in the assessment of heavy-metal levels in estuaries and the formation of a pollution index”. Helgol Meeresunters, 33, 566–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turekian, K. K., & Wedepohl, K. H. (1961). “Distribution of the elements in some major units of the Earth’s crust”. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 72, 175–192.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA. (1996). “Acid Digestion of Sludges, Solids and Soils, USEPA 3050B” In SW-846 Pt 1. Office of Solid and Hazardous Wastes. Cincinnati: USEPA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usero, J., Gonzales-Regalado, E., & Gracia, I. (1996). “Trace metals in bivalve mollusks Chamelea gallina from the Atlantic Coast of southern Spain”. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 32, 305–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, N., Wang, Q., Liang, Z., & Zheng, D. (2008). “Characterization of heavy metal concentrations in the sediments of three freshwater rivers in Huludao City, Northeast China”. Environmental Pollution, 154, 135–142.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt

    H. A. El-Mashali, H. M. Badran & T. Elnimr

  2. Physics Department, College in Leith–Girls, Umm Al-Qura University, Leith, Saudi Arabia

    H. A. El-Mashali

  3. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Al-Haweiah, 21974, Taif, Saudi Arabia

    H. M. Badran

Authors
  1. H. A. El-Mashali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. M. Badran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. Elnimr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. M. Badran.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

El-Mashali, H.A., Badran, H.M. & Elnimr, T. Metal concentrations in irrigation canals and the Nile River in an intensively exploited agricultural area. Environ Monit Assess 187, 136 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4357-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4357-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation