Abstract
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
Highlights
Manzala Lake is located in the northeastern edge of the Nile Delta
The chemical analyses were conducted on whole sediment samples for the trace elements; Pb, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn and Cd using atomic absorption spectrometry (PerkinElmer 3110, USA) with graphite atomizer HGA-600, after using the digestion technique according to the standard APHA [12]
The highest concentrations of Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn in water were observed in the eastern portion of the lake where industrial zone of Port Said country whiles the lowest values were recorded at the western portion of the lake
Summary
Manzala Lake is located in the northeastern edge of the Nile Delta It is bound by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Port Said to the northeast, the Suez Canal to the east, El-Dakahlia Governorate on the southwest, El-Sharkia Governorate on the south, and Damietta on the west (Figure 1). It is the largest brackish water body located in the northeastern shoreline of the Nile Delta, and it lies between latitudes; 31° 10" and 31° 40" N and longitudes; 31°50" and 32° 25" E. It water has a brackish nature, mixed with sea water through Boughaz El -Gamil opening (12.5 km west of Port Said) at the north eastern side of the lake
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