The effect of human activities on the pollution of water in southwest Giza area, Egypt

Abstract

Southwest Giza area is one of the most complicated regions in Egypt because of the combination of agricultural, industrial and urbanization activities with few studies about water resources contamination with heavy metals. In this study, ten surface water samples and eight groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for pollution with Fe, Mn, As, Cr, Cd, Pb and Cu. The samples were collected randomly according to the topographic locations and accessibility. The surface water is suitable for both drinking and irrigation use according to its salinity (total dissolved solids, TDS < 500 mg/l) and content of major ions. Unfortunately, some samples contain concentrations of As, Cd, Cu and Pb higher than the WHO drinking water guidelines. The groundwater samples have TDS ranging from 204 to 2,100 mg/l. Also, the groundwater contains higher concentrations of Fe, Mn and As than surface water. The highest concentrations of heavy metals As, Cd and Pb were recorded in the desert fringes and close to the industrial complexes indicating the role of geological sediments in the transportation and migration of pollutants. The unconfined part of the Quaternary aquifer in the desert fringes is more vulnerable to contamination. The results of this study reflect the role of human and industrial activates in polluting water resources with heavy metals, which puts the aquatic environment in the study area under stress.

Rapid Assessment Method for Evaluation of the Weighted Contribution of Anthropogenic Pollution: A Case Study of Lake Burullus, Egypt

“…They have also observed a high salinity for seagrass and coral [11]. Abu El Ella et al [12] collected ten surface water samples from different points in the southwest Giza area, Egypt. High concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb) were observed in Water 2021, 13, 3337 2 of 22 the collected water samples that exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water guidelines [12].…”

“…Abu El Ella et al [12] collected ten surface water samples from different points in the southwest Giza area, Egypt. High concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb) were observed in Water 2021, 13, 3337 2 of 22 the collected water samples that exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water guidelines [12]. They concluded that human and industrial activities played a significant role in polluting surface water bodies [12].…”

Hydrogeochemical and multivariate statistical appraisal of pollution sources in the groundwater of the lower Bhavani River basin in Tamil Nadu

“…(Reghunath, Murthy, & Raghavan, 2002;Sajil Kumar & James, 2016;Subramani, Rajmohan, & Elango, 2010). Leaching of fertilizers from agricultural fields, industrial effluents, and accidental spillages can also affect groundwater quality (Abu El Ella, Elnaze, & Salman, 2017).…”

Sequential Extraction of Some Heavy Metals in Southwest Giza Soil, Egypt

“…The sugar and chemical industries at Giza are one of the heaviest metals pollution sources of the Nile [14]. At the study area, Abu El Ella et al [15] pointed out the role of human activity in the pollution of water resources with heavy metals. Unfortunately, the studied area has not received attention and lacks studies of soil pollution with heavy metals.…”