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Nowadays, the importance of using macrophytes in accumulation of heavy metals has gained great concerns. So, this study aimed at extracting the land use/cover types of three indices and surface temperatures in the habitats inside 100 m buffers from recent satellite images around three highly economic macrophytes namely; Phragmites australis, Typha domingensis and Potamogeton pectinatus species. In addition to land surface temperature (LST), three important indices expressing the land cover of habitats namely; normalized different vegetation index (NDVI), normalized different water index (NDWI), and normalized different moisture index (NDMI) were extracted to find out there influence on the efficiency of macrophytes in the accumulation of these metal ions; Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb. The Polynomial regression models were calculated to predict the accumulation factors of plants within the remotely sensed indices and LST. Results showed different accumulation values for individual or more metals in the below-ground and above-ground parts of macrophytes within different habitats. This study considers as an innovative approach using remote sensing technique and satellite images for the selecting of species that can accumulate more metals within different habitats. The obtained results will be useful for the optimal management of these macrophytes in Lake Burullus, a Ramsar site.

Sensitivity to pollution in Burullus Lake was estimated based on the proximity analysis. The category of sensitivity was based on six factors including: agricultural areas, industrial areas, drains...

This study was carried out to investigate the speciation and distribution of the heavy metals; Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd and Pb in the sediments of Lake Burullus, Egypt. The mean metal concentrations of the sediments followed the order of Fe >Mn> Zn > Cu > Ni >Pb> Cd. The evaluated contamination with these metals was revealed moderate to strong ecological risk. According to applying index of the potential ecological risk index (RI), risk assessment code (RAC) and modified risk assessment code (mRAC); the risk levels showed the following order Cd = Pb>Mn> Ni > Zn > Cu > Fe. Considering the metals speciation, high levels were found in the residual fraction for Fe, Cu, Zn and Ni; while were in Fe-Mn hydroxide fraction for Cd and Pb, and in carbonate fraction for Mn. All metals showed enrichment during summer at stations of the southeastern parts of the lake due to the heavy discharge of contaminants from shakhloba, kotichener and Hoksa drains. Therefore, monitoring of contaminants discharge and determination of heavy metal and other pollutants in the water and sediments and its fractionation at Lake Burullus should be introduced for future and management strategies.

Lake Burullus, as one of the northern deltaic lakes in Egypt, is an important economic, recreational and Fish breeding reservoir. The study used nine georeferenced stations to assess hydrogen sulphide (H2S) levels, its relationship with some selected hydrochemical parameters, and the implication on this lake’s biota. The study reveals that areas mostly affected by drainage water with high load of organic matter, aid to the production of H2S into sediments and dispersion to water. The results indicate that H2S levels in lake sediments increase with increasing water temperature, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and load of organic matter (OM) in water. On the other hand, clear water areas with high oxygen levels aid in reducing levels of H2S in sediments as proved from correlation analysis. The positive correlation between variables as OM and BOD with H2S was observed using the distribution maps. The amount of different wastes, particularly in large quantities, increase the level of H2S, and therefore affected biota so it is highly recommended to treat wastewater to conserve the biodiversity of this lake.