Impacts of Land-Based Sources on Water Quality of Abu-Qir Drain, Egypt

Water samples were collected from Abu-Qir drain during February 2003 at 8 stations. The levels temperature, pH, salinity, total suspended matter, dissolved oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, organic matter were scattered in the following ranges: (19.1-25.1; mean: 21.0 +/- 2.1 degrees C); (5.15-9.13); (0.46-9.2.07; mean: 0.93 +/- 0.5 g/l); (2.5-12.8; mean: 4.95 +/- 3.5 g/l); (0.0-7.13; mean: 1.32 +/- 2.3 mg/l); (0.0 - 4.31; mean: 1.78 +/- 1.7 mg/l); and (57.1-4447.2; mean: 1013.9 +/- 1387.3 mg/l), respectively. The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn. Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb were, on the other hand scattered in the following ranges: (Fe: 0.65-590; mean: 85.01 +/- 191.1mg/l); (Zn: 0.02- 415.1; mean: 52.57 +/- 137.0 mg/l); (Mn: 0.01-4.71; mean: 0.86 +/- 1.5 mg/l); (Ni: 0.01-0.78; mean: 0.21 +/- 0.29 mg/l); (Cu: 0.01-0.14; mean: 0.05 +/- 0.05 mg/l); (Cr: 0.01 - 0.52; mean: 0.11 +/- 0.17 mu g/l); (Cd: Nd-12.40; mean: 4.14 +/- 3.73 mu g/l); and (Pb: 0.03- 0.92; mean: 0.19 +/- 0.30 mu g/l). The water quality studies cleared out that: 1) As a result of industrial, agricultural and domestic effluents that varies in constitution and quantity from location to another and from time to time, broad variations in physico- chemical characteristics of Abu-Qir drain water were observed; 2) The enrichment of the waters of Abu-Qir drain with chemical fertilizers, industrial wastes, farm effluents in addition to sewage waters have elevated the nutrient concentrations; 3) Trace metals in industrial wastewater reveal also wide ranges of variations and irregularities in regard to sampling sites which were due to the discharge of different effluents into the drain from different sources. Except for Fe and Zn, most of the measured values for each metal do comply with the standards and does not exceed the allowable limits; and 4) some of the measured parameters do not comply with the standards and exceed the allowable limits.