Researchers from the Extreme Climate Events and Impacts (EXCEIS) team at the Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with scholars from Minia University in Egypt, have unveiled adverse effects of human activities on the wetland ecosystem of the Nile River Delta over the past five decades. This wetland serves as a crucial local water source and plays a vital role in environmental regulation. The findings of this study were recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
The researchers systematically summarized relevant studies from 1968 to 2020, gathering data on metal pollution in Lake Manzala, as well as concurrent agricultural (including land use, pesticide and fertilizer usage, and emissions) and economic data, to identify the primary sources of pollution. The results show an overall upward trend in metal content during the study period. The average metal content, from highest to lowest, is as follows: iron, manganese, zinc, copper, nickel, chromium, lead, cadmium, and mercury. Analysis using linear regression models indicates that wastewater discharge, water reuse, and the use of pesticides and fertilizers are the main causes of heavy metal pollution in Lake Manzala, leading to a significant reduction in the biodiversity of fish and mollusk communities. Furthermore, the study reveals an association between heavy metal pollution and socioeconomic development, underscoring the urgent need for lake protection, management, and sustainable development.
For more information, refer to the related paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171941.
