Ramadan et al. 2024 — Heavy metals and water quality in Bahr Mouse stream, Egypt
This study assesses heavy metal contamination and water quality in Bahr Mouse stream, a drainage waterway in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, which serves as a source of water for human consumption and agricultural irrigation. The authors measured eight heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr) in 38 surface water samples collected in winter and summer seasons by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), then calculated a water quality index (WQI) to characterize suitability for drinking water use.
Key numbers
- Sample size: 38 water samples (seasonal comparison: winter vs. summer)
- WQI: 39.1 (winter), 28.05 (summer); both classified as “good” water quality overall but with localized exceedances
- Cd: detected at concentrations exceeding WHO and Egyptian drinking-water standards in several sampling locations
- Pb: detected above permissible limits at some sites
- Fe and Mn: most consistently elevated metals across sampling sites; Fe concentrations frequently exceeded WHO guideline of 0.3 mg/L
- Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr: variable across sites; most below WHO limits at most stations
- Analytical method: flame AAS (Thermo Fisher ICE 3500 series or equivalent), samples acidified and filtered; LODs not explicitly stated for all metals
Methods (brief)
Field sampling at 38 stations along Bahr Mouse stream in Dakahlia Governorate; winter (January 2023) and summer (July 2023) campaigns. Water samples were filtered through 0.45 µm membrane and acidified with HNO3 for metal analysis by flame AAS. WQI computed using WHO (2017) and Egyptian Standard ES 4717/2014 reference values as the weighting basis. Speciation not performed; total dissolved metals reported.
Implications
Certification: Water-source contamination in Egyptian agricultural regions is a supply-chain risk for irrigated crops (leafy vegetables, tomatoes, rice). This paper documents the Bahr Mouse stream as a contaminated irrigation water source, directly relevant to understanding heavy metal transfer into food crops in the Nile Delta region.
Courses: Illustrates how surface water quality indices work and how agricultural drainage channels can introduce heavy metals into food systems.
App: Not directly applicable to ingredient-level contamination profiles, but relevant to the Egypt jurisdiction supply-chain context.