Abstract

The concentrations of dissolved and particulate forms of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Fe and Hg have been determined in wastewater of some factories, fertilizer plants, Attaqa power station, Suez oil processing and El-Nasr petroleum companies and a slaughter house. The concentrations of dissolved metals ranged between 8.02 to 98.90, 31.32 to 1024.50, 14.45 to 289.05, 1.87 to 36.40, 7.78 to 29.98, 3.07 to 45.20, 9.51 to 21.88, 104.91 to 478.63 µg/L and 2.66 to 7.52 ng/L for Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Fe and Hg, respectively the particulate phases concentrations were high and ranged between 12.16 to 150.41, 389.41 to 1165.90, 14.86 to 254.75, 2.19 to 6.73, 3.36 to 36.29, 3.75 to 169.82, 12.68 to 29.15, 314.22 to 1335.50 µg/L and 1.12 to 16.76 ng/L for Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Fe and Hg, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals in the bottom sediments ranged from 22.30 to 86.70, 894.60 to 986.20, 18.90 to 41.20, 3.20 to 9.60, 17.30 to 28.50, 10.30 to 17.40, 14.50 to 27.20, 1750.20 to 2102.40 and 0.092 to 0.166 µg/g (dry weight) for Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Fe and Hg, respectively. The results indicate exchange and transport of heavy metals between the wastewater particulates and bottom sediments.

Key words: Distribution, heavy metals, suspended particulates, dissolved phases.