Status of Heavy Metals in Soils of Assiut as Affected by the Long-Term Use of Sewage Water in Crop Irrigation: Case Study

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

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ONCERNING soil pollution with heavy metals, a survey study was carried out to evaluate the present status of Cd, Ni, Pb, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu in agricultural soils near Assiut city. Over 40-50 years, soils were either irrigated with underground, or sewage waste water at six sites, namely El-Madabegh, Mankabad, Ellwan, Bani Hussein, Bani Ghalleb and Gahdam. Thirty-six soil profiles were dug and subsamples were taken to determine the status of the selected elements using standard methods.

Data of this study indicate that the concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Ni are present at high levels in the soils irrigated with sewage wastewater relative to that irrigated with underground water. A survey to evaluate metals uptake by the crops under agriculture at the indicated sites is needed, but the use of sewage wastewater in irrigation at the indicated sites needs to be justified.