A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON POTENTIAL LINK BETWEEN HEAVY METALS AND HEALTH, NILE RIVER ISLAND, NEAR ASSIUT, EGYPT SYED E. HASAN, DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY, NADIA SHARARA, OSMAN EL NADY and GAMAL BOGHDADY, ASSIUT

1
A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON POTENTIAL LINK BETWEEN
HEAVY METALS AND HEALTH, NILE RIVER ISLAND, NEAR
ASSIUT, EGYPTSYED E. HASAN, DEPARTMENT OF
GEOSCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS
CITY,NADIA SHARARA, OSMAN EL NADY and GAMAL
BOGHDADY, ASSIUT UNIVERSITY, EGYPT
Abstract The Nile is the longest river in the
world, flowing over a distance of 6,825 km and
draining an area of 2.96 x 106 sq km that extends
from the Equator to beyond the Tropic of Cancer.
The upper reaches of the River lie in the East
African Rift System that has created some of the
largest tectonic lakes in the region. Geologic
materials occurring in Egypt represent a long
period of earths history from the Precambrian
igneous and metamorphic rocks to the Holocene
sands of the desert. These rock formations are
enriched in Al, As, Be, Cr, Cd, Pb, Zn, U, V, Zr
and other elements. While concentration of
selected elements has resulted in formation of
valuable economic mineral deposits, the
geochemical cycle also makes them bio-available
in the food chain that seem to be causing chronic
health problems to people living in the area.
The relationship between geology and health has
not been previously studied and the existing
literature, though very rich in petrology,
mineralogy, structure and tectonics stratigraphy
and paleontology is devoid of information on
this critical aspect of human health and the
environment. Nonetheless, medical records
maintained at the Health Department of the Assiut
Governorate and the Assiut University Hospital
have indicated above-normal incidence of kidney
disease among the population.
Site visit to villages on Al-Wasta islands,
near the town of Assiut, was made in March, 2006.
It included interview with residents, and random
sampling of water, plants, and soil. ICP-MS
analyses of soil, water, fertilizer, and
vegetation samples have revealed high
concentration of a suite of heavy metals. These
heavy metals are known to be toxic to humans and
we suspect that the abnormal incidence of
nephrological disorders and other health problems
might be related to presence of As, Be, Cd, Mo,
and Pb in soil and the organic fertilizer that is
used to grow wheat and vegetables.
C
B
A

1. North Al-Wasta island on the Nile River
2. Village home on Al-Wasta Island
3. Nile River flowing past the town of Assiut

2
A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON POTENTIAL LINK BETWEEN
HEAVY METALS AND HEALTH, NILE RIVER ISLANDS, NEAR
ASSIUT, EGYPT
Materials and Method A variety of media samples
were collected from Al-Wasta island, comprising
surface and groundwater, wheat, and other
vegetation, organic fertilizer, sediment from
Nile River and effluent from a phosphate
fertilizer manufacturing factory. Water samples
were prepared for ICPMS analysis by diluting
approximately 20g of sample, 1mL of concentrated
nitric acid and 250µL of internal standard to
100g total mass using 18 M-ohm water.    Soil and
vegetation samples (lt0.1g each) were digested
with 2 mL of HNO3 and 0.25 mL 30 H2O2 in Teflon
vessels at 90C for 18 h. The resulting solution
was then diluted to 100g total mass using 18M-ohm
water after adding 250µL of internal standard
solution. Analyses were performed using a Varian
UltraMass 600 ICPMS in the laboratory of the
Department of Geosciences, University of
Missouri-Kansas City. A total of 33 samples
were analyzed. Result of ICPMS Analysis of
Wheat Samples
Part of wheat plant Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb Concentration, ppb
Part of wheat plant Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Toxic Metals Other Metals Other Metals Other Metals
Part of wheat plant Al Be Cd Co Cr Cu Fe Mg Mn Ni Pb V Zn Zr Ca K Na
Grains 302,463 - - - 574 5,823 0.285 x 106 1.06 x 106 45,004 888 - 432 6,441 - 1.45 x 106 - 0.38 x 106
Ear with grains 402,138 - - - 2930 8,975 0.283 x 106 2.44 x 106 57,757 1,565 1,039 1,928 484 - 2.47 x 106 - 0.53 x 106
Leaves 1.4 x 106 - - - 1509 10,202 1.72 x 106 3.06 x 106 0.122 x 106 3,646 3,737 5,390 - 92 6.63 x 106 - 0.54 x 106
Root with soil - 551 1290 20,498 40676 36,516 29.3 x 106 3.50 x 106 0.78 x 106 49,625 7,823 87,111 37,029 42,192 9.0 x 106 0.26 x 106 1.02 x 106
MCL 50-200 (s) 4 5 - 100 1000 (s) 300 (s) - 50 (s) 100 0 - 5000 - - - 2000 (a)
MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004 MCL Max. allowed in drinking water (s) Secondary standards, non-enforceable, for cosmetic/aesthetic effects (a) for individuals on restricted Na diet Source EPA, Rept. 822-R-04-005, 2004
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks are due to the University
of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) and Assiut
University, Egypt, for travel support to the
first author. The authors are grateful to Dr.
James Murowchick, Dept. of Geosciences, UMKC for
his help with ICPMS analysis.
Collecting
groundwater sample from a tube well,
Al-Wasta island Collecting water
sample from a drainage ditch, Al-Wasta
island