Heavy metal contamination in the El-Gharbia Governorate (District) of Egypt was identified by using remote sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry as the main research tools. Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Landsat 8 and contour map images were used to map the landforms. Different physiographic units in the study area are represented by nine soil profiles. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) was used for geochemical analysis of 33 soil samples. Vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were measured and they all exceeded the average global concentrations identified by Wedepohl (1995). Ni and Cr concentrations exceeded recommended values in all soil profile horizons (Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines, 2007), while Cu had a variable distribution. Zn concentrations are under recommended concentration limits in most soil samples. Contamination Factor, Pollution Load Index and Degree of Contamination indices were used to assess the environmental risks of heavy metal contamination from the soils. All analysed metals pose some potential hazard and pollution levels were particularly high near industrial and urban areas

This study evaluated how the fresh fine sawdust from Pinewood affects some hydro-physical properties of expansive soil which collected from the middle Nile Delta, Egypt. To fulfil this objective, a number of laboratory tests were carried on the clay loam soil samples collected from the depth of 0-30 cm. Clay loam soils were treated by sawdust at the rate of 0%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% on the dry weight basis. Various experimental methods were used to determine the variations in the falling-head permeability, the clay size fraction, the plasticity index, the linear shrinkage and the cracking width with different sawdust-amended soils. The results showed that the addition of sawdust decreases the clay size fraction, the plasticity index, the linear shrinkage and the cracking width, while it increases significantly the falling-head permeability, which is a sign improvement of soil hydro-physical properties. It can be concluded that sawdust had the potential to improve the hydro-physical properties of expansive soils, especially, when added into soil in between one to two percent on dry weight basis, above this percentage the improvement was much less significant and warranted by the clay content decrease.

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Alternate furrow irrigation with proper irrigation intervals could save irrigation water and result in high grain yield with low irrigation costs in arid areas. Two field experiments were conducted in the Middle Nile Delta area of Egypt during the 2010 and 2011 seasons to investigate the impact of alternate furrow irrigation with 7-d (AFI7) and 14-d intervals (AFI14) on yield, crop water use efficiency, irrigation water productivity, and economic return of corn (Zea mays L.) as compared with every-furrow irrigation (EFI, conventional method with 14-d interval). Results indicated that grain yield increased under the AFI7 treatment, whereas it tended to decrease under AFI14 as compared with EFI. Irrigation water saving in the AFI7 and AFI14 treatments was approximately 7% and 17%, respectively, as compared to the EFI treatment. The AFI14 and AFI7 treatments improved both crop water use efficiency and irrigation water productivity as compared with EFI. Results also indicated that the AFI7 treatment did not only increase grain yield, but also increased the benefit-cost ratio, net return, and irrigation water saving. Therefore, if low cost water is available and excess water delivery to the field does not require any additional expense, then the AFI7 treatment will essentially be the best choice under the study area conditions.

Areas contaminated by heavy metals were identified in the El-Gharbia Governorate (District) of Egypt. Identification used remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) as the main research tools. Digital Elevation Models (DEM), Landsat 8 and contour maps were used to map physiographic units. Nine soil profiles were sampled in different physiographic units in the study area. Geochemical analysis of the 33 soil samples was conducted using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). Vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were measured. V, Ni and Cr concentrations exceeded recommended safety values in all horizons of the soil profiles, while Cu had a variable distribution. Zn concentrations slightly exceeded recommended concentration limits. Concentrations were mapped in each physiographic unit using the inverse distance weighted (IDW) function of Arc-GIS 10.1 software. Pollution levels were closely associated with industry and urban areas.

Summary The application of organic materials is an environmental practice in soil restoration, but the use of sugarcane pith, a by‐product of the paper industry, as an amendment in soil reclamation has not been tested so far. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of the application of sugarcane pith on various hydrophysical properties of saline‐sodic soil. A 4‐month incubation pot trial under stagnant water and leaching conditions was carried out. Application of 5, 10 and 20 t ha−1 pith led to a decrease in bulk density by 19, 41 and 42%, respectively, and a corresponding increase in drainable porosity. Likewise, soil structure expressed in terms of aggregate stability was enhanced substantially from 0.5 to 0.9. Water‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and available water content were also positively affected by the amendments with pith; these changes were attributed to its spongy nature and the increase in organic matter with its decomposition. The doubling of Ks to 1.4 cm hour−1 with the application of 20 t ha−1 pith was considered crucial because it resulted in larger rates of leaching of salt. The fast decomposition of pith released Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ ions, which accelerated the leaching of Na+. We recommend that saline‐sodic soil of the type that we investigated in this study should be amended with sugarcane pith powder up to a rate of 10 t ha−1. Future work should investigate the effects of pith amendments in field trials on a wide range of types of saline‐sodic soil. Highlights Is fresh sugarcane pith effective as an amendment for saline‐sodic soil? Sugarcane pith could play a vital role in the management and reclamation of saline‐sodic soil. Application of 10–20 t ha−1 sugarcane pith positively affected soil physicochemical properties. Sugarcane pith applied to saline‐sodic soil improves the hydrophysical characteristics.

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Until now sandy soils can be considered as one roup having common hydrophysical problems. Therefore, a laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of bagasse as an amendment to improve hydrophysical properties of sandy soil, through the determination of bulk density, aggregatesize distribution, total porosity, hydraulic conductivity, pore-space structure and water retention. To fulfil this objective, sandy soils were amended with bagasse at the rate of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4% on the dry weight basis. The study results demonstrated that the addition of bagasse to sandy soils in between 3 to 4% on the dry weight basis led to a significant decrease in bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, and rapid-drainable pores, and increase in the total porosity, water-holding pores, fine capillary pores, water retained at field capacity, wilting point, and soil available water as compared with the control treatment