A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON POTENTIAL LINK BETWEEN HEAVY METALS AND HEALTH, NILE RIVER ISLANDS, NEAR ASSIUT, EGYPT

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 earth's history: from the Precambrian granitic complex 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. A preliminary site visit to the al-Tamia and 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 cause of abnormal incidence of nephrological disorders is related to presence of  Pb in soil and the organic fertilizer that is used to grow wheat and vegetables.  The table below shows their concentration along with the permissible limits for drinking water, set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization (WHO). Heavy metals in media samples, Nile River islands, Assiut Governorate, Egypt

 

Element	Concentration, ppb	Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
		EPA		WHO
As	0.04-47.72	10	10
Be	6.31-550.88	4	-
Cd	25.67-1290	5	3
Cr	0.44-40676	100	50
Mo	0.14-4707.12	-	70
Pb	2.04-79624	15	10
V	0.9-87111	-	-
Zr	5.23-42192	-	-

Further work is in progress.