POLLUTION OF CITRUS FRUITS AND SOME FIELD CROPS IRRIGATED WITH SEWAGE WATER AT EL-GABAL AL- ASFAR

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is to study environmental factors that affect on the content and status of some elements in soil and plants. The use of sewage effluent, in agriculture is important especially in the arid and semi arid countries. This waste water is commonly used for irrigation plants in many regions in Egypt, El-Gabal Al­ Asfar area is one of them, which effect on the content, distribution and status of elements in soils and plants. El-Gabal Al-Asfar farm was selected to carry out this study due to the sewage effluents have been used for long time ago for irrigating different crops. For acheving this study 24 soil samples were taking from El-Gabal Al-Asfar farm irrigated for different periods with sewage effluents, i.e. 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 55years and also different citrus trees, i.e., mandarin, orange and lemon as well as field crops, i.e., corn, wheat and broad bean•were taking from the locations of the obtained soil samples. The soil samples were analyzed for determining their chemical characteristics, particle size distribution and soil texture classes and DTPA extrtactable Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd as well as the available form ofN, P, K and Na were estimated in the selected samples. Also cations and anions were determined in soil extract. All water samples were subjected for analyzing the above mentioned elements well as EC, pH and major soluble cations & anions. Plant samples from some citrus trees were divided into different parts, i.e., leaves, branches, fruits which also divided into peel, pulp and juice. Also some field crops, i.e., wheat, broad bean and com were separated into shoots and grains or seeds. The plant' sample were wet digested and the previous elemetns were determined in all these parts.