Environmental & Analytical Toxicology

Distribution of Heavy Metals in Contaminated Water and Bottom Deposits of Manzala Lake, Egypt

Abstract

Abd El-Monsef Ahmed El-Badry

The pollution of the El-Manzala lake bottom sediment is indicative of water and food-web quality in general. Twenty five samples were collected from both water and surficial bottom sediments. Collaborating analytical techniques have been employed to analyze group of environment-sensitive elements, including; Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Cu, and Zn. The present study documents serious pollution by Cd, possibly as a result of using phosphate fertilizer. The average Cd content in the studied area is 17.5 ppm, which is about 36 fold the Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL=0.5 ppm) of soil. The highest concentration of Cd is 22.3 ppm, which is more than 45 fold the MPL. Cadmium is more mobile in aquatic environments than most other heavy metals. The areas around Port Said and El-Serw drain show marked pollution by most of the studied heavy metals. The main reason for such pollution is the industrial activities and agricultural drains. The unsupervised anthropogenic activities are the main causes of pollution in the studied lake. Routine program for monitoring the abundance and distribution of Cd, and Pb in the studied bottom lake sediments, water, biota and food chain should be imposed