The present investigation aimed to assess water sodicity and some organic pollution indicators in Ammar Drain and Damietta Branch of the River Nile, East Nile Delta, Egypt over the period from March (2015) to February (2016). Water, sediment and fish tissue samples (muscles and gonads) were collected and analyzed by means of standard techniques. The organic pollution indicators estimated
... [Show full abstract] comprises: Dissolved oxygen (DO), total phosphates (TP), total nitrates (TN), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), and total organic carbon (TOC). Two teleosts, namely the African sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus and the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus were involved. TOC in sediment was positively correlated to that in fish organ tissues. All estimated physicochemical factors showed significant seasonal changes in the two aquatic ecosystems. However, their levels were higher in fish dwelling Ammar Drain than the River Nile. The irrigation water quality indices indicated higher levels of soluble sodium percent, sodium adsorption ratio and residual sodium carbonate in Ammar Drain than the River Nile, reflecting higher sodicity regime in the drain ecosystem. The water quality index (WQI) showed significant difference between the two ecosystems (Kolmogorov-Smirnov Goodness-of-Fit Test: D = 2.449; P ≤ 0.001). Our data revealed that the water quality of Ammar Drain is ranked as bad drainage water, however the Damietta Branch of the River Nile is categorized as good surface water. The Int. J. Environ. Bioener. 2018, 13(2) : 68-88
