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Estuarine-deposited sediment is an essential environmental medium that is widely used for characterizing anthropogenic contaminant levels in urban systems. It has significant implications for human health, and can directly impact aquatic biota. Assessment of Cr, Fe, and Cd contamination and their distribution in different grain size fractions of the surface sediments of Abu Qir Bay, one of the Mediterranean coastal bays, as an industrial development area has been investigated. Since the metals pose serious health risks, this research concentrated on investigating the concentrations and spatial distribution of Cr, Fe, and Cd in Abu Qir Bay sediments. Surface sediment samples were sieved, and six grain size fractions (1.0, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.063, and Graphical Abstract

River Nile, Egyp’s most important watercourse, flows into the Mediterranean Sea by two estuaries forming a large Delta, within which lie three lagoons of varying morphological and hydrodynamic characteristics. Most estuaries receive a large quantity of wastewater input from different sources and also domestic due to the densely populated highly industrialized, leading to severe pollution of the coastal areas. Surface sediment samples were collected from six sectors and were examined for grain size and concentrations of heavy metals As, Cd, Mo, and Sn using a sequential extraction method and ecological risk assessment method. The results indicated: (1) the total concentrations of these heavy metals were influenced by runoff, industrial wastewater, and sewage, and were all higher in the coastal area (2) sequential extractions suggested that As and Mo were mainly composed with residual, Cd was bound to exchangeable and Sn was dominated by iron and manganese oxides fractions; The Contamination Factor (CF) for As, Cd, and Sn showed a very high degree of contamination while Mo showed low contamination in all study areas. The pollution load index (PLI) values were above one (> 1) indicates an advanced decline of the sediment quality. The average of the Igeo values for the studied metals indicated heavily polluted. The largest bioavailability factors were measured in all studied areas for Cd and Sn, and for As in El-Tina area, reflecting a potential risk to aquatic life. The ICF results showed the highest ability of Cd and Sn to be released from the sediments to the overlying water.

A University professor must be allowed an opportunity to learn about the latest developments and technologies in the area of the internet in general, and the world of the Web in particular, to be able to make use of them in carrying out his academic work and research. This study aims at measuring the attitudes of the Faculty members toward the techniques of Web 2.0. The researcher has chosen the Faculty members and the teaching assistants at Beni-Suef University as examples. The importance of the internet and its impact on modern life cannot be denied. It has been able to change the pattern of modern life, to innovate different concepts and patterns of requirements, which have transformed the world into a small village thanks to the technology of communication, which made the Internet a window through which researchers and scientists acquire various kinds of knowledge and cultures this study tries to answer the following queries: To what extent the Faculty members of Beni-Suef University and their assistants use the Internet?,What are their skills in using the internet, and to what extent they benefit from the service of browsing? ,To what extent are the Faculty members of Beni-Suef University and their assistants aware of the importance Web 2.0?,The ways through which the Faculty members of Beni-Suef University and their assistants acquire the available information about the Web 2.0. ,How much knowledge do the Faculty members of Beni-Suef University and their assistants have about Web 2.0? ,To what extent the Faculty members of Beni-Suef University and their assistants use the services and sites available through the techniques of Web 2.0?,What are the opinions of the Faculty members of Beni-Suef University and their assistants on the services and available sites through the techniques of Web 2.0? This study attempts to measure the extent of the Faculty members of Beni-Suef University and their assistants' use of the applications of Web 2.0, the time limit of this study is the academic year 2011/2012 AD, when the researcher collected the data needed to conduct the study through the distribution of the questionnaire on the sample during this period

A protected semi-enclosed embayment, the Eastern Harbor (EH), is situated in the central sector of the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria, Egypt. It is a famous fishing dock and water-sport center and its importance arose after the discovery of the Ptolemaic royal quarter of ancient Alexandria. To protect this national treasure and improve its environmental health, the untreated anthropogenic effluents, which continued for decades into the EH since 1992, must be totally stopped. Accordingly, it is an important issue to continually monitor and asses the environmental status of the EH. The sediment texture, total organic carbon, and the accumulation, distribution, and ecological risks of Cd, Cr, Pb, As, Hg and Al were determined with a total of 14 surficial sediments samples collected in the EH during 2010. Metal contents were compared to the literature data to assess the pollution status of sediments. Enrichment factors, Degree of contamination (mCd) and potential ecological risk were calculated as a criterion of possible contamination. Since mCd calculation produces an overall average value for a range of pollutants, in the present study the contamination factor that provides a measure of the degree of overall contamination in the surface layers in a particular sampling site may provide a better indication of the state of pollution in the EH sediments than other indicators.

The chemical speciation of metals (Cd, Zn, Cu, and Fe) for coastal marine sediment samples collected from ten locations in the Western Harbour (main harbour) in Egypt and has been studied in two surveys which were determined using the four-step sequential extraction procedure. A sequential extraction technique was used to quantify exchangeable, oxides (reducible), organic/sulphidic, and acid-soluble (residual) fraction. It was noticed that Cd and Zn have the highest capability to be released from the sediment, more mobile and bioavailable, by the simple ion exchange mechanism in the W.H than Cu and Fe which were present at higher percentages in the acid-soluble fraction, meaning that these two metals were strongly bound to the sediments. Considering the percentage of metals extracted in the most labile fractions (F1 + F2 + F3), the order of mobility (from most to least bioavailable) was: Cd (94%) > Zn (64%) > Cu (22%) > Fe (3.5%). Risk assessment code (RAC) analysis indicated that the sediments show no risk for Fe and a low risk for Cu and low-to-medium risks for Zn and medium-to-high risks for Cd with RAC values greater than 11% and 30%, respectively, indicating a substantial risk of metal mobilization from sediments across the entire study region.

This study, which seeks to achieve the main objective, which is to identify the use of specialists in the field of informatics and communication facilities AL- Yassir library for distance learning based on the technology of telecommunications Webinar, in terms of positive or negative impact, in order to identify the actual reality of their use and vision For these meetings and lectures as one of the channels of communication and distance training, where the sharing of knowledge is the cornerstone of scientific communication between researchers in general and specialists in the field of information technology in particular, and this study attempts to put forward a new vision, shedding light on the importance of using specialists in the field Information technologies for remote communication and measurement of the rate of which benefit

Biosorption is an extensive technology applied for the removal of heavy metal ions and other pollutants from aqueous solutions. In the present study, the biosorption of cadmium, lead, chromium and mercury ions from polluted surface seawater in El-Max Bay was determined using hybrid active carbon sorbents. These sorbents were treated chemically by acid, base and redox reaction followed by surface loading of baker’s yeast biomass for increasing their biosorption capacity and the highest metal uptake values. The surface function and morphology of the hybrid immobilized sorbents were studied by Fourier Transform Infrared analysis and scanning electron microscope imaging. Metal removal values proved that the vital role of baker’s yeast as a significant high removable due to functional groups at baker’s yeast cell wall surface that have the ability to forming various coordination complexes with metal ions. A noticeable increase in the removal of all studied metals was observed and reached to 100 %.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (The 15 parent) were determined in six freshwater fish species cultured in Lake Edku fish farm, one of the northern Nile Delta lakes in Egypt. That receives input from numerous anthropogenic activities through several huge drains, for the detection and evaluation of residues of PAHs in their edible parts. The soft tissue portions of the studied fish samples were analyzed for organochlorine following well-established techniques by UNEP/IOC/IAEA (1991 and 1992). Total PAH concentrations ranged from 285.03 to 1008.73 ng/g wet wt, while aliphatic hydrocarbon levels ranged from 301.41 to 1268.11g/g wet wt. Anthracene was the most prevalent portion in all fish species. All the studied fish showed values higher than MRL (13.11–19.90 ng g−1) except T. galilaeus was lower than MRL (2.10 ng g−1). All samples showed benzo[a]pyrene concentration values lower than 3% of Σ15PAH, which may suppose some risk of human health. In all studied fish samples, total aliphatic hydrocarbons were found in higher concentrations than total PAHs; the edible parts of Mugil capito, Tilapia galilaeus, Tilapia nilotica and Clarias lazera had the highest total aliphatic, C-30 was the most prevalent in all fish samples except Tilapia zilli (the dominant is C-14). Considering the findings, we suggested that the major portion of the hydrocarbons retrieved from the fish were inherited from the hydrocarbons of the biological origin and a significant amount from fossil origin. The results indicated no adverse health effects (noncarcinogenic) are associated with the consumption of all fish species from Lake Edku with respect to PAHs.

Abu Qir Bay is one of the Mediterranean coastal bays in Egypt. Its importance derives from its geographical location. It is considered the estuary for several huge drains, containing residues of agricultural and industrial in addition to its importance as a fishing center in Alexandria. The present study deals with the assessment of the quality of sediments using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), developed by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, to estimate possible adverse biological effects of sedimentary contaminants in Abu Qir Bay. The dataset comprised results from Abu Qir Bay sediment samples. Samples were analyzed for grain size, TOC and metals (Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe). The NOAA guidelines indicate that Cd and Pb are the most likely contaminants to cause adverse biological effects in Abu Qir Bay.

This study aims at achieving a chief aim: recognizing the reality of the libraries of Beni-Suef University their human and material capacities which may provide informative services in the web context via structural planning to create a unified Electronic Port of its libraries on the web, because of the importance of libraries in the educational process, and scientific research, and due to the increasing importance of the INTERNET on the international level. This study aims at introducing a new vision shedding light on the importance of creating an electronic port for the libraries of Beni-Suef University in the light of the second generation technique of Library 2.0 including the technique of web 2.0 and web 3.0 in addition to an access to the port of the Union of the Egyptian University libraries, and offering sources of free access to information according to the principle of gratuitous access, and what follows of training librarians of university libraries.

The distribution of Cr between water, total suspended matter (TSM) and sediments in the maine harbour in Egypt (Western Harbour), has been studied in two surveys. Dissolved Cr displayed a negative association with salinity, indicating land sources outlets as a major source of inputs for it. The Harbour presents higher Cr concentrations in dissolved form above the background (0.17 μg/L) concentration for total dissolved Cr. The most important factors controlling the distribution of particulate Cr in the Western Harbour are the depositional from several activities inside the Harbour, as well as different charges from several landbased sources along its southern edge. Chromium was associated in decreasing amount in the: residual >oxidizable-organic >acid reducible >exchangeable fractions of the analyzed sediments. Therefore, the results indicate that Cr in sediments from W.H is not available for exchange and/or release into the marine environment.

Six freshwater fish species cultured in Lake Edku fish farm, one of the northern Nile Delta lakes in Egypt that receives input from numerous anthropogenic activities in addition to agriculture wastes through several huge drains, were collected for the detection and evaluation of residues of the persistent organochlorine (OC) pollutants polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 1,1,1 -trichloro-2,2-di(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT), total cyclodienes (TC), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and heavy metals (Cu, Cd and Pb) in their edible parts. In all fish and sediment samples, PCBs were found in higher concentrations than pesticides; the edible parts of Mugil capito, Tilapia galilaeus, Tilapia zilli and Clarias lazera had the highest PCBs (3.49, 0.83, 1.06 and 4.29 ng/g wet weight respectively), PCB 28 being most prevalent in Mugilcapito and Clarias lazera with ratios 86 and 62%, respectively, of the total PCBs. PCB 180 was most prevalent in Tilapia zilli (about 56% of the total PCBs). In these four fish species OCs were found in the order: PCBsDDTsHCHsTC. The other two species (Tilapia nilotica and Tilapia aureus) had the highest concentrations of pesticides (7.58 and 1.13 ng/g wet weight, respectively) with HCHs being most prevalent (96% and 74% of the total pesticides, respectively). OCs were found in the order: HCHsPCBsDDTsTC in the edible Tilapia nilotica, and in the order: PCBsHCHsDDTsTC in the other species. The mean concentrations of PCBs and pesticides in sediments are 539.66 +/- 48.8 and 259.17 +/- 81.2 ng/g dry weight, respectively. Among the studied metals in the edible parts of the fish samples, about 67% of the samples contained marginally higher Pb content in the edible parts, above the European Community's legal limit. About 50% of the samples contained marginally higher Cd content (N.D to 0.88 microg/g) above the permissible level of Cd in fish edible parts; the Cu content ranged from 0.37-2.36 microg/g, with a marginally higher content in the fish but below the maximum permissible limits. As for the concentration of the studied metals in sediments of Edku lagoon, results showed that copper had the highest concentration (2.2 +/- 0.37 microg/g) in the lake sediment.

The use of natural resources for the removal of phenol and phenolic compounds is being looked upon by researchers in preference to other prevailing methods. In the present study, different biosorbents, brown algae (Padina pavonia), fresh water macrophyta (Ceratophyllum demersum), and black tea residue, were tested as adsorbent for the removal of phenol from aqueous solutions. The optimum conditions for maximum adsorption in terms of concentration of the adsorbate and pH were identified. The results show that the initial concentration increases as the removal of phenol increases in C. demersum; in the case of the other two adsorbents, the initial concentration increases as the removal of phenol decreases, especially for an initial concentration lower than 100 and 1,000 μg/L for P. pavonia and black tea residue, respectively. Maximum percentage removal of phenol by each adsorbent is 77, 50.8, and 29 % for C. demersum, P. pavonia, and black tea residue, respectively. Also, the biosorption capacity was strongly influenced by the pH of the aqueous solution with an observed maximum phenol removal at pH of around 6-10. The first biosorbent (black tea residue) displays the maximum adsorption capacity at a pH of 10 with a percentage sorption capacity of 84 %; P. pavonia revealed a greater adsorption percentage at pH 10, reaching 30 %, while for C. demersum, the removal of phenol increases with the increase in initial pH up to 6.0 and decreases drastically with further increase in initial pH. The Freundlich, Langmuir, and Brauner-Emmet-Teller adsorption models were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms. The results reveal that the equilibrium data for all phenol adsorbents fitted the Freundlich model which seemed to be the best-fitting model for the experimental results with similar values of coefficient of determination.

Wetland plants are being used successfully for the phytoremediation of trace elements in natural and constructed wetlands. Under the present investigation, two aquatic macrophytes, Ceratophyllum demersum and Lemna gibba, were tested for their effectiveness at removing two toxic metals (Pb and Cr). These plants were grown at four different concentrations in single-metal solutions of the two metals and were separately harvested after 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 days in a laboratory experiment. These plants performed extremely well at removing the chromium and lead from their solutions and were capable of removing up to 95% of lead and 84% of chromium during the 12-day incubation period. The removal continued through the 12 days and up to the highest value on the 12th day of the experiment. The results revealed that, of the two species, L. gibba was the most efficient for the removal of selected heavy metals. The plants accumulated heavy metals without the production of any toxicity or reduction in growth.

Total Hg concentrations were determined in muscle tissue of some fishes with different feeding habits (12 fish species) obtained from the main fishing locations along the Alexandria coast, a region particularly impacted by historic industrial Hg activities. Health risks to human via dietary intake of the edible portion of fish were assessed by the target hazard quotients (THQs). Mercury maximum concentrations corresponding to fish muscle tissue were found in L. mormyrus, S. rivulatus, and S. luridus (3.56, 2.94, and 1.35 μg g−1 wet weight, respectively). Thence most of these three species bass (75% of L. mormyrus, 76% of S. rivulatus, and 54% of S. luridus) were greater than a 0.47 μg g−1 threshold corresponding to a 1 meal per month consumption limit. M. cephalus, S. aurita, S. chrysotaenia, B. boops, and A. djedaba bass (100%) were less than a 0.12 μg g−1 threshold corresponding to a 4 meals per month safe consumption limit. Mercury THQs values, ranging from 0.11–1.76, were of concern. In parti...

Sediment quality of Lake Maryout (one of the four Nile Delta shallow brackish water lakes on the south-eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea) is of concern as this lake is used for land reclamation and aquaculture and is an important fishing source. The magnitude and ecological relevance of metal pollution in Lake Maryout Main Basin was investigated by applying different sediment quality assessment approaches. The aim of this study was to estimate ecological risk of trace elements (Cd, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn) in the surficial sediments (63 jtm fraction) of Lake Maryout. Heavily contaminated sediments were evaluated by the Sediment Quality Guideline (SQG) of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The degree of contamination (Cd) was estimated as very high for each site. Two sets of SQGs effect range-low/effect range-median values and threshold effect concentration (TEC) and probable effect concentration (PEC) values were used in this study. Sediments from each site were judged toxic when more of the PEC values exceeded EPA guidelines. Based on the geoaccumulation index (Ieo) of target trace elements, the Main Basin of Lake Maryout has to be considered as extremely polluted with Cd (Igeoor =5), strongly polluted with Zn (2or = Igeoor =3), moderately polluted with Cu (1or = Igeoor = 2), unpolluted to moderately polluted with Cr and Pb (0or = Igeoor = 1 for each) and unpolluted with Ni (Igeoor = 0). Lake Maryout sediments had heavy accumulations of Cd, which apparently come from drains that include industrial and raw domestic wastes. Therefore, a sequential extraction technique was applied to assess the five fractions (exchangeable, metals bound to carbonate, acid-reducible, oxidizable-organic and residual) of Cd in surface sediments. The Cd concentration in most sampling stations was dominated by the non-resistant fraction (anthropogenic). The result showed that those stations located in the vicinity of municipal and mixed waste drains posed a high potential risk to fauna and flora of Maryout Lake.

The fractionation of phosphorus (P) in shallow Lake Maryout surficial sediments was investigated in order to understand its potential availability in relation to the eutrophication status of this lake. The rank order of P fractions was NaOH-P > HCl-P > NH4Cl-P > BD-P. The metal oxide-bound P (NaOH-P) averaged 43% in this hypereutrophic lake and would be potentially available under low oxygen conditions. The highly available, loosely sorbed P (NH4Cl-P) represented 20% of the sedimentary inorganic P on average, while the reductant P (BD-P) averaged 15% and is also considered highly available under low oxygen conditions. The less available calcium-bound P (HCl-P) represented 22% of sedimentary inorganic P. Lake Maryout exhibits high potential for release of P from sediment in forms available to algae, which is undesirable for eutrophication control. The range of potentially available P in tested sediments was 1,541 to 3,990 mg/kg (ppm), a very high quantity capable of supporting algal blooms independent of external loading.

Concentrations of 5 trace elements (Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Zn) were determined in muscle of fishes collected from two coastal areas of the Egyptian coast of the Mediterranean Sea west of Alexandria (El-Mex Bay and Eastern Harbour). Sardinella aurita , Alepes djedaba , Siganus luridus , Siganus rivulatus , Sphyraena chrysotoenia , and Scomberomorus commerson were collected from El-Mex Bay. While Boops boops , Lithognathus mormyrus , Sparisoma cretense , Serranus cabrilla and Synodus saurus were collected from the E.H. In all fishes zinc was highest (up to 57 mg/kg) followed by Cr, Cu, Pb and Cd. The concentrations of several metals in fishes were significantly different among the species in each area. For all trace element examined, the concentrations decreased significantly with body weight of some fishes. In contrast, a positive correlation with body weight was found especially for Zn and Cu concentrations in 5 fish species and for Pb in 4 fish species. The concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn were higher in fishes from El-Mex Bay (3.76, 6.49 and 57.21 mg/kg) than those from Eastern Harbour, whereas the opposite trend was observed for Cu and Cr, revealing the direct sources of trace metal pollution present in El-Mex coastal area. Levels of Cr surpassed the Maximum Permissible Concentration in most fish tissues, followed by Pb and Cd in some species. Cu and Zn presented concentrations below the maximum permissible levels in fish tissues.

Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Co, Zn, Mn and Fe were determined in biota and sediment samples collected from the Eastern Harbour and El-Mex Bay in the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt. The levels of Cu, Co, Zn, Mn and Fe in the macroalgae, Ulva lactuca, Enteromorpha compressa (green algae) and Jania rubens (red algae), recorded high concentrations except for Cd. Moreover, Fe was the most predominant metal in the seaweed. The two species of bivalves, Donax trunculus and Paphia textile, showed different amounts of metals in their tissue. The abundance of heavy metal concentrations in the mussel samples was found in the order Fe> Zn> Mn> Cu> Co> Cd and Fe> Zn> Mn> Cu> Cd> Co, respectively for the two species. The metals concentrations were generally higher compared with the previous studies in mussels from the same area. The levels of metals accumulated in the investigated fish samples, Saurida undosquamis, Siganus rivulatus, Lithognathus mormyrus and Sphyraena sphyraena, were higher than those of Marmara Sea (Turkey), for Co and Cd and lower for Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe. El-Mex Bay having the highest metals concentration in sediments as their order of abundance were Fe> Zn> Mn> Cu> Cd> Co. Nevertheless, a high variability in the metal levels occurs among the studied algae and biota and also between the investigated Harbour. A significant correlations (p < 0.05) were found for each of Zn and Fe in P. textile and of Co in D. trunculus relative to their concentrations in surficial sediments.

Growing populations and increasing industry and agriculture activates have increased the existence of chemicals in the aquatic environment. The variety of anthropogenic chemicals that have been identified as potential endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in the environment and the problems arising from their use as human and livestock pharmaceuticals are discussed. Sewage effluents have been identified as a source of a diverse mixture of EDCs to the aquatic environment. These waters from homes and industries include natural and synthetic hormones (estrogens, androgens), active ingredients in pharmaceuticals, metals, pesticides, personal care product additives, and industrial chemicals. Once effluents are discharged to aquatic environments, EDCs will be diluted in stream or river waters so that organisms living very close to the discharge will have the highest exposure. Aquatic organisms also readily take up and store EDCs and its metabolites. Exposure to endocrine active compounds remains poorly characterized in developing countries despite the fact that behavioral practices related to westernization have the potential to influence exposure. Thus, in Egypt for example, it is likely that women in urban areas have a higher exposure to environmental hormonal risk factors, possibly xenoestrogens (EDCs) with regards to known risk factors of uterine and breast cancer.

Zinc, copper, lead, chromium, and cadmium levels were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer in abdominal muscle of freshwater crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). The metal concentrations could be arranged in descending order according to their concentrations in raw muscles: zinc, copper, lead, chromium, and cadmium. After cooking, metals were found in the same order as in raw tissues, except that chromium preceded lead. Zinc concentration was significantly higher than copper, lead, chromium, and cadmium in both raw and cooked muscles. On the other hand, copper concentration was significantly higher than lead, chromium, and cadmium. A significant positive correlation was found between raw and cooked muscle elements. Generally, zinc, chromium concentrations were within the allowable limits in both cooked and raw muscles, but cadmium and lead levels exceeded the maximum permissible limits for human consumption in both cooked and raw muscles. Copper concentrations of cooked muscles exceeded the ma...