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Speciation and behavior of arsenic in the Nile delta lakes

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Abstract

Dissolved and particulate As species were measured in three River Nile coastal lakes in Egypt. Apart from input sources, As levels lie within the range 1.2 to 18.2 μg L−1 (dissolved) and between 1.2 and 8.7 μg g−1 (particulate). As(V) is the predominant dissolved As species constituting between 85 and 95% of total dissolved As(TDAs). Opposite to local sewage discharge points As(III) appeared constituting between 14 and 33% (of TDAs) at low and high water discharge periods. Dimethylarsenic is the dominant organic As form reaching 22% of total dissolved As while the maximum concentration of mono methylarsenic (1.0 μg L−1) constituted about 8% of TDAs. Particulate As is mostly partitioned among reducible and detrital phases while the organic phase appeared dominant in eutrophic areas (> 30% of particulate As). About 413 t yr−1 As entered the northern delta lakes via agricultural drains and waste water discharge. Phosphate fertilizers, detergents, herbicides, loamy Nile deposits are the main As sources to the drainage system. 52% of the total As derived to the Nile delta lakes is transported to the Mediterranean coastal seawater through the lakes' inlets.

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  1. Oceanography Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

    A. R. Abdel-Moati

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  1. A. R. Abdel-Moati
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Abdel-Moati, A.R. Speciation and behavior of arsenic in the Nile delta lakes. Water Air Soil Pollut 51, 117–132 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211509

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211509

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