Abstract
El-Hammam canal, East El-Alamein City, is one of the national sustainable projects for facing food shortage in Egypt. The current work was conducted to evaluate the water–soil–plant system quality concerning potential toxic elements (PTEs) in this area. Surface water, soil and fruit samples were collected and analyzed for their content of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb. The studied soils are sandy calcareous alkaline soil with low organic matter content. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) indicated that most soils were of very high PERI owing to the elevated Cd and to less extent As and Ni. Unfortunately, most of the recorded Cd and Pb appeared in the bioavailable fraction. The studied water samples contained acceptable levels of ions for irrigation, except Cd, Cu and Ni. Both apple and peach contained acceptable concentrations of PTEs, except peach that contains an elevated level of As. It was observed that the concentration of PTEs in peach was higher than the apple. The bio-concentration factor values of PTEs in apple and peach indicated that fruits were excluders of the PTEs. The study area contains critical loads of the studied PTEs, especially As, Cr and Ni, which mostly attributed to the plant uptake of PTEs. The uptake of plants (harvested part) of these toxic elements can be cause of many health problems. Pesticide sprays may be the source of these elements leaching on plant surfaces. Finally, the study area content of PTEs can be attributed to the polluted irrigation water and agrochemical.
Similar content being viewed by others
Availability of data and materials
All the data are enclosed within the submitted manuscript.
References
Abdelrazek SAE (2019) Monitoring irrigation water pollution of Nile Delta of Egypt with heavy metals. Alex Sci Exchange J 40(3):441–450
Abou El-Anwar EA, Samy YM, Salman SA (2018) Heavy metals hazard in Rosetta Branch sediments, Egypt. J Mater Environ Sci 9(7):2142–2152
Alloway BJ (1995) Heavy metals in soils. Blackie Academic & Professional Publishers, London
APHA (2012) Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water, 22nd edn. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation
Badawy WM, Ali K, El-Samman HM, Frontasyeva MV, Gundorina SF, Duliu OG (2015) Instrumental neutron activation analysis of soil and sediment samples from Siwa Oasis, Egypt. Phys Part Nucl Lett 12(4):637–644
Bauder TA, Waskom RM, Davis JG (2007) Irrigation water quality criteria. Extension fact sheet No. 0.506, Colorado State Univ., pp 1–5
Bermudez GM, Jasan R, Pla R, Pignata ML (2011) Heavymetal and trace element concentrations in wheat grains: assessment of potential non-carcinogenic health hazard through their consumption. J Hazard Mater 193:264–271
Bhatti SS, Sambyal V, Nagpal AK (2016) Heavy metals bioaccumulation in Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) cultivated in areas under intensive agriculture, Punjab, India. Springer Plus 5:173. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-1777-5
Butzer KW (1960) On the Pleistocene shore lines of Arabs’ Gulf Egypt. J Geol 68:626–637
Cai LM, Xu ZC, Qi JY, Feng ZZ, Xiang TS (2015) Assessment of exposure to heavy metals and health risks among residents near Tonglushan mine in Hubei, China. Chemosphere 127:127–135
Chauhan PS, Mishra SK, Misra S, Dixit VK, Pandey S, Khare P, Khan MH, Dwivedi S, Lehri A (2018) Evaluation of fertility indicators associated with arsenic contaminated paddy fields soil. Int J Environ Sci Technol 15:2447–2458
Chen L, Zhou S, Shi Y, Wang C, Li B, Li Y, Wu S (2018) Heavy metals in food crops, soil, and water in the Lihe River Watershed of the Taihu Region and their potential health risks when ingested. Sci Total Environ 615:141–149
Conoco (1987) Geologic map of Egypt. Egyptian General Authority for Petroleum (UNESCO Joint Map Project). Scale (1:500,000)
Darwish MAG, Pöllmann H (2015) Trace elements assessment in agricultural and desert soils of Aswan area, south Egypt: geochemical characteristics and environmental impacts. J Afr Earth Sci 112:358–373
de Vries W, Schütze G, Lofts S, Tipping E, Meili M, Römkens PFAM, Groenenberg JE (2005) Calculation of critical loads for cadmium, lead and mercury; background document to a mapping manual on critical loads of cadmium, lead and mercury. Alterra (Alterra-report 1104), Wageningen
Defarge N, Spiroux de Vendômois J, Séralini GE (2018) Toxicity of formulants and heavy metals in glyphosate-based herbicides and other pesticides. Toxicol Rep 5:156–163
Edelstein M, Ben-Hur M (2018) Heavy metals and metalloids: sources, risks and strategies to reduce their accumulation in horticultural crops. Sci Hortic 234:431–444
El Awady MAM, Abd-Elwahed AG, Garamoon HK, El Malky MG (2018) Geochemical assessment of the Quaternary soil in Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. J Environ Sci 43(2):25–45
El Azhari A, Rhoujjati A, El Hachimi ML, Ambrosi JP (2017) Pollution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in the soil-plant system and the sediment-water column around a former Pb/Zn-mining area in NE Morocco. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 144:464–474
Elbagermi MA, Edwards HGM, Alajtal AI (2012) Monitoring of heavy metal content in fruits and vegetables collected from production and market sites in the Misurata area of Libya. ISRN Anal Chem, Article ID 827645, 5 p. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/827645
El-Bayomi GM (2009) Coastal environmental changes along the North Western Coast of Egypt case study from Alexandria to El Alamein Coast. Forum Geogr VIII:14–22
Elhaddad E, Al-Zyoud S (2017) The quality assessment of pollution of Rosetta branch, Nile River, Egypt. Arab J Geosci 10:97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2870-y
Elnazer AA, Salman SA, Seleem EM, Abu El Ella EM (2015) Assessment of some heavy metals pollution and bioavailability in roadside soil of Alexandria-Marsa Matruh Highway, Egypt. Intern J Ecol, Article ID 689420, 7 p. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/689420
Elwan AA, Khalifa MEA (2014) Evaluation of agri-limitations for sustainable development at the area between El-Dabaa and El-Alamain, Mediterranean Region, Egypt. Alex J Agric Res 59(3):157–168
FAO (1985) Water quality for irrigation and drainage. Paper No. 29 Rev. 1, New York
FAO/WHO (2001) Food additives and contaminants. Codex Alimentarius Commission. Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Program, ALI-NORM 01/12A, pp 1–289
Gleyzes C, Tellier S, Astruc M (2002) Fractionation studies of trace elements in contaminated soils and sediments: a review of sequential extraction procedures. Trends Anal Chem 21(6–7):41–467
Hakanson L (1980) An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution Control: a sedimentological Approach. Water Res 14:975–1001
Jasrotia AS, Taloor AK, Andotra U, Kumar R (2019) Monitoring and assessment of groundwater quality and its suitability for domestic and agricultural use in the Cenozoic rocks of Jammu Himalaya, India: a geospatial technology based approach. Groundw Sustain Dev 8:554–566
Ji K, Kim J, Lee M, Park S, Kwon HJ, Cheong HK, Jang JY, Kim DS, Yu S, Kim YW (2013) Assessment of exposure to heavy metals and health risks among residents near abandoned metal mines in Goseong, Korea. Environ Pollut 178C:322–328
Ji-yun N, Li-xue K, Zhi-xia L, Wei-hua X, Cheng W, Qiu-sheng C, An L, Xu-bo Z, Han-zhong X, Duo-yong Z, Yong-long W, Yang C (2016) Assessing the concentration and potential health risk of heavy metals in China’s main deciduous fruits. J Integr Agric 15(7):1645–1655
Kar S, Das S, Jean J-S, Chakraborty S, Liu C-C (2013) Arsenic in the water–soil–plant system and the potential health risks in the coastal part of Chianan Plain, Southwestern Taiwan. J Asian Earth Sci 77:295–302
Khan A, Khan S, Khan MA, Aamir M, Ullah H, Nawab J, Rehman IU, Shah J (2019) Heavy metals effects on plant growth and dietary intake of trace metals in vegetables cultivated in contaminated soil. Int J Environ Sci Technol 16:2295–2304
Kovacheva A, Vladov I, Gabrashanska M, Rabadjieva D, Tepavitcharova S, Nanev V, Dassenakis M, Karavoltsos S (2020) Dynamics of trace metals in the system water–soil–plant–wild rats–tapeworms (Hymenolepis diminuta) in Maglizh area, Bulgaria. J Trace Elem Med Biol 58:126440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2019.126440
Legros S, Doelsch E, Feder F, Moussard G, Sansoulet J, Gaudet JP, Rigaud S, Doelsch IB, Macary HS, Bottero JY (2013) Fate and behaviour of Cu and Zn from pig slurry spreading in a tropical water–soil–plant system. Agric Ecosyst Environ 164:70–79
Li H, Ji H (2017) Chemical speciation, vertical profile and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils from coal-mine brownfield, Beijing, China. J Geochem Explor 183:22–32
Lijzen JPA, Baars AJ, Otte PF, Rikken MGJ, Swartjes FA, Verbruggen EMJ, Van Wezel AP (2001) Technical evaluation of the intervention values for soil/sediment and groundwater. Human and ecotoxcicological risk assessment and derivation of risk limits for soil, aquatic sediment and groundwater. Report 711701023. RIVM, Bilthoven
Ma X, Zuo H, Tian M, Zhang L, Meng J, Zhou X, Liu Y (2015) Assessment of heavy metals contamination in sediments from three adjacent regions of the yellow River using metal chemical fractions and multivariate analysis techniques. Chemosphere 144:264–272
Mekky HS, Abou El-Anwar EA, Salman SA, Elnazer AA, Abdel Wahab W, Asmoay AS (2019) Evaluation of heavy metals pollution by using pollution indices in the soil of Assiut District, Egypt. Egypt J Chem 62(9):1673–1683
Melegy AA, Shaban AM, Hassaan MM, Salman SA (2014) Geochemical mobilization of some heavy metals in water resources and their impact on human health in Sohag Governorate, Egypt. Arab J Geosci 7:4541–4552
Morad NA, Abdel Latif RM (2017) Assessment of surface water groundwater relationship in the area between Borg El Arab and West El Hammam, North West Coastal Zone, Egypt. Mansoura Eng J 42(1):C1–C11
Muhammad S, Ullah R, Jadoon IAK (2019) Heavy metals contamination in soil and food and their evaluation for risk assessment in the Zhob and Loralai valleys, Baluchistan province, Pakistan. Microchem J 149:103971. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2019.103971
NAS-NAE (National Academy of Science and National Academy of Engineering) (1972) Water quality criteria. Report prepared by committee of water quality on request of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, 594
Richards LA (1954) Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils. USDA Agric. Handb. 60. USDA, Washington, DC
Said R (1962) The geology of Egypt. Elsevier Pub. Comp, Amesterdam
Said R (1990) The geology of Egypt. S.A. Balkema, Rotterdam
Salman SA, Elnazer AA, El Nazer HA (2017) Integrated mass balance of some heavy metals fluxes in Yaakob village, south Sohag, Egypt. Int J Environ Sci Technol 14:1011–1018
Salman SA, Asmoay AS, El-Gohary AM, Sabet HS (2019) Evaluation of human risks of surface and groundwater contaminated with Cd and Pb south of El-Minya Governorate, Egypt. Drinking Water Eng Sci 12:23–30. https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-12-23-2019
Sayed, A.S., 2013. Evaluation of the land resources for agricultural development—case study: El-Hammam Canal and its extension, Nw Coast of Egypt. Ph.D. thesis, Hamburg University, Germany
Shaheen SM, Ali RA, Waly ME, Rabie AA, El Abbasy NE, Rinklebe J (2018) Assessing the mobilization of As, Cr, Mo, and Se in Egyptian lacustrine and calcareous soils using sequential extraction and biogeochemical microcosm techniques. J Geochem Explor 191:28–42
Shahid M, Dumat C, Khalid S, Schreck E, Xiong T, Niazi NK (2017) Foliar heavy metal uptake, toxicity and detoxification in plants: a comparison of foliar and root metal uptake. J Hazard Mater 325:36–58
Shukri NM, Philip G, Said R (1955) The geology of Mediterranean coast between Rosetta and Bardia, Part 2, Pleistocene sediments, Geomorphology and microfacies. Bull Inst d’ Egypt 37(2):395–427
Singh UK, Kumar B (2017) Pathways of heavy metals contamination and associated human health risk in Ajay River Basin, India. Chemosphere 174:183
Sylvain B, Motelica-Heino M, Miard F, Joussein E, Soubrand M, Bourgerie S, Morabito D (2016) Phytostabilization of As, Sb and Pb by two willow species (S. viminalis and S. purpurea) on former mine technosols. CATENA 136:44–52
USDA (2014) Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory Methods manual. Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 42, Version 5.0. R. Burt and Soil Survey Staff (Ed.). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USA
Vries WD, Groenenberg JE (2009) Evaluation of approaches to calculate critical metal loads for forest ecosystems. Environ Pollut 157:3422–3432
Vries W, Groenenberg J, Lofts S, Tipping E, Posch M (2013) Critical loads of heavy metals for soils. In: Alloway BJ (ed) Heavy metals in soils: trace metals and metalloids in soils and their bioavailability. Springer, Dordrecht
WHO (1996) Trace elements in human nutrition and health. World Health Organization, Geneva
Wu S, Shi Y, Zhou S, Wang C, Chen H (2016) Modeling and mapping of critical loads for heavy metals in Kunshan soil. Sci Total Environ 569–570:191–200
Xu D, Gao B, Chen S, Peng W, Zhang M, Qu X, Gao L, Li Y (2019) Release risk assessment of trace metals in urban soils using in situ DGT and DIFS model. Sci Total Environ 694:133624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133624
Zahran AA (2008) Geotechnical study of Carbonate rocks on the area between Alexandria and El Alamein along The Mediterranean Sea Coast of Egypt. Ass Univ Bull Environ Res 11(1):12
Zereen F, Islam F, Habib MA, Begum DA, Zaman MS (2000) Inorganic pollutants in the Padma River, Bangladesh. Environ Geol 39:1059–1062
Zheng X, Zang W, Yan Z, Hong Y, Liu Z, Yi X, Wang X, Liu T, Zhou L (2015) Species sensitivity analysis of heavy metals to freshwater organisms. Ecotoxicology 24:1621–1631
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the National Research Centre, Egypt, to use its laboratories and making the analyses.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
The authors contribute equally in the manuscript steps.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Editorial responsibility: Samareh Mirkia.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elnazer, A.A., Salman, S.A. Critical load model and pollution indices application for water–soil–plant system assessment around El-Hammam canal, East El-Alamein, Egypt. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 18, 1407–1418 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-020-02878-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-020-02878-8