Assessment of Pollution Sources for the Lake Burullus Influent Drains at the North of Egypt

Egyptian northern region is facing significant pollution issues due to various factors such as fish farming expansion, industrial activities, and agricultural drainage water that enters the lake from the north through different drains. This pollution has detrimental effects on the lake's ecology and economy. The main goal of this study is to assess the current state of the influent drains into the Lake Burullus, that represent the second largest lake in the northern lakes of Egyptian. The water quality parameters in the influent drains to Lake Burullus are evaluated during the period from August 2018 to July 2020. Analyzing the obtained data could help to identify the pollution hotspots and assess the current situation due to water pollution at the Egyptian northern region. The water quality data collected from the Lake Burullus influent drains include different parameters with different ranges such as Dissolved Oxygen (DO) from 0.4 to 4.1mg/l, Nitrate (NO3) from 2.5 to 30 mg/l, Ammonium (NH4) from 7 to 42 mg/l, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) from 41 to113 mg/l, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) from 1200 to 4150 mg/l, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) from 40 to175 mg/l. These parameters are important indicators of water pollution. The water quality data analysis began with classifying the monitoring locations of the drains based on the current condition. The classification was done by geographically measuring and analyzing the most significant water quality parameters. The results of the water quality analysis indicated that Nashart drain recorded the worst case for all parameters, exceeding the allowable limits set by Law 48 and the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Drain 11 was found to have a high domestic load, likely due to a dense population in the area. Drain 7 showed high levels of agricultural waste, making it an important indicator for prioritizing drain treatment. This study presented an assessment of the current condition of influent drains in Lake Burullus and predicted their future state by the year 2050, for example BOD values will increase to reach very high levels as 500 mg/l in 2050. Evaluating the water quality parameters could help to identify the pollution hotspots and provide crucial information for the management and preservation of this important ecosystem.