Abstract
Aquatic plants are known to accumulate metals from their environment and affect metal fluxes through those ecosystems. The main objectives of this study are to follow up the distribution of some heavy and major metals in aquatic plants in the four river Nile delta lakes namely Mariut Edku, Burullus and Manzala, die sites of the last Egyptian use of the Nile water before flowing to the Mediterranean sea. Many samples from these plants were collected then analyzed for Fe, Mn, Mg, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Cu, using atomic absorption spectrophotometeric technique. The bioaccumulation factor (BF) was applied on the results of analysis. Many plant species were found in the northern Nile delta lakes, Potamogeton crispus in Manzala lake; Ceratophillum demersum in Mariut and Edku, while the water hyacinth was found in Manzala, Edku and Mariut. Mariut lake was found to be very rich in phytoplankton abundance, though trace metals were also found to be higher than other stations. Distribution of measured metal concentrations in the different lakes reflect high content of most of these metals in Mariut compared with other lakes. Mariut lake is the most polluted lagoon in the Nile delta. Domestic pollution and heavy industry release large volumes of untreated waste, and an increasing load of agricultural runoff is introduced into the lake via canals and drains. The aquatic plants in the lake recorded elevated concentrations of Mn, Fe and Cu compared with all other measured metals. Appreciable amounts of Cd are accumulated in Ceratophillium demersum in Mariut lake. Mariut lake has become a hazard to the ecological equilibrium of the region and to the health of the inhabitants of the city and its environment because of its pollution.