Spatial Distribution and Assessment of Physicochemical Properties and Heavy Metals Pollution in Water and Sediments of Two Drains, Nile Delta, Egypt

It is critical to look into the geographic variation of physicochemical features and pollutants, including heavy metals, in drainage water in order to safeguard human health, the environment, and water quality for both present and future generations. Due to the significant pollution brought on by industrial, municipal, and agricultural contaminants in both the New Damietta and Kitchener drains in the Nile Delta, Egypt. The study’s goals were to evaluate the levels of contaminants, such as heavy metals, in the sediment and water, as well as the spatial variation in some physicochemical characteristics. Some metals concentrations (Fe, Cd, Cu, & Pb) had been measured within 20 samples of water & sediment. The Kitchener & New Damietta drains had mean pH values of 7.99, 8.30, temperatures of 17.8, 16.8 °C, salinity of 8, 9.56%, TDS of 8888, 9278 mg/l, TSS of 29.20, 29.50 mg/l, EC of 13, 15.85 mS/cm, DO of 4.16, 2.76 mg/L, and OM of 3.52, 10.52 mg/L, respectively, based on the results. The mean concentrations of dissolved nutrients at the Kitchener & New Damietta drains for NH4+ were 1.79, 16.8 mg/l, NO2− were 310.05, 160.84 µg/l, NO3− were 529.96, 580.27 µg/l, PO4–3 were 156.03, 134.55 µg/l, & SiO4 were 2.22, 2.28 mg/l, respectively. At the majority of the sites for both drains, the N/P ratio (N/P > 16) showed that P was the limiting factor. The water quality within the New Damietta and Kitchener drains is very low, based on the average water quality index (AWQI) data. The spatial distribution showed that the Kitchener drain’s water and sediment had concentrations of lead and cadmium that were exceeding those at the New Damietta drain and over the US-EPA maximum allowable limits. The five indicators used to calculate the environmental hazard caused via these heavy metals within sediment revealed substantial heavy metal loadings in the drain sediments. Because of anthropogenic contamination from these drains from industrial wastewater and agricultural drainage water, there is a chance that the concentration of some metals in the research region will rise. This study may aid in the remediation of the two drains with minimal hazards or environmental risk. The outcomes will be helpful in managing sediment and polluted water in both drains as best they can.