ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF USING LOW QUALITY WATER IN IRRIGATION

Abstract

Egypt has crisis of water and a special after the construction of the Nahda Dam.So, finding other sources release clean water for use in other sectors special wastewater. This research was conducted on the El-Mohate drain (Marioteya Canal) west of Cairo, to determine the differences temporal and spatial persistent organic, non-organic and microbial population during the whole year.Samples were taken from different locations along the waterway under study, as well as some samples of plant and soil (surface layer) and sediment have been sampling to determine the status of pollution along the drain . The obtained results revealed that El-Mohate drain EC ranged between 0.53 and 5.26 dS/m in winter season, while it reached 1.26-6.72 dS/m in dry season. Ammonia concentration values ​​ranged between 0.93-46.2 mg/l in the wet season and 2.2-21.32 mg / l in dry season. While, nitrates reached concentration of 0.18 - 26.6 and 0.73-23.52 mg / l in both wet and dry seasons, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals (iron, manganese, zinc, copper, cobalt, boron, chromium, nickel, cadmium, lead) were less than the limits. As for persistent organic pollutants (Aromatic hydrocarbons) have given the highest concentrations during the wet season compared to that phenols has given the highest concentration during the dry season. Total coliform bacteria counted higher numbers in summer season than wet season and numbers were higher than WHO guidlie specially in locations 9 to 20. Also, data cleared that, Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Shigella numbers were increased in summer season than winter season. Total and suspended solids, chemical and biological oxygen demand were significant higher values in summer season than the winter season in El-Mohat drain water. Different selected sites showed less concentration in the content of heavy metals were less than the allowable limits increase the concentration of phenol in the dry season than in wet season on the reverse hydrocarbons has been focused in the wet season higher than the dry season. The results indicated that phenol content of plants during wet and dry season was in order of the plants as follows: draw> zeamaize> zucchini >pepper. The concentration of hydrocarbon was the focus as follows: zeamaize <draw <pepper< zucchini.