Water Quality Improvement of some Polluted water Streams in Egypt using Aquatic Plants

Abstract

The study aims to study the environmental impact of occurrence of aquatic plant (water hyacinth) on the removing the contaminants from the drainage water polluted with domestic waste water. El Khairy agricultural drain was selected to achieve the objectives of the study. It is located at El Behaira governorate with length of 22.4 Km. A reach of 8.5 Km length was selected to study the self-purification of the drain in cases of aquatic plants occurrence, and absence. Four study scenarios were selected and conducted as follow: • First scenario was applied by sampling the water and conducting the field measurements in absence of aquatic plant (water hyacinth). • Second scenario was applied in occurrence of water hyacinth at a distance of 2.5 Km from the intake point of the studied drain. • Third scenario was applied by located the water hyacinth at a distance of 4.5 Km from the studied drain. • Fourth scenario was applied by located the water hyacinth at two locations distance of 2.5 and 4.5 Km from the studied drain. The filed measurements and water sampling were conducted for the different scenarios during the different seasons at 2010/2011. The water samplings were conducting for 4 points distributed along the studied reach. The water samples were preserved and transported according to QA/QC of the Standard Methods. The selected water samples were analyzed for the following parameters. • Turbidity & pH • EC& TSS • DO • BOD & COD • NH4,NO3,and PO4 • Heavy metals (Fe, Mn ,Cu ,Pb ,Cd and Zn) • Total coliform and fecal coilform