الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The study area is a part of the western desert of Egypt at Cairo-Alexandria desert road near by El-Amryya district. It is in the form of different cultivated fields at the different densities from the industrial complex at about 30 Km west of Alexandria. Four sites were selected for sampling of the three study species; Solanum lycopersicum, Cucurbita pepo and Cucumis melo. The first site (I) was considered as a reference site,the second site (II) was two kilometers away from the industrial complex,the third site (III) was one kilometer and 200 meters away from the industrial complex while the last one (IV) was located directly behind the industrial complex. At each site ten individuals were uprooted from each selected crop species at different phenological stages (vegetative – flowering – fruiting) to determine some of the growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments and certain heavy metals (Pb – Cu – Cd – Zn – Ni – Co – Fe – Cr - Mn). Ten soil samples were collected from each site at the depth of 0-30 cm. Two irrigation sources were recognized in the study area: 1) Noubareyya Channel and 2) the water mixed with drainage of Desert Reestablishment Complex. One liter of water was sampled from each source todetermine some physicochemical properties.
The sources of heavy metals accumulated in the selected vegetables are envisaged to be soil used for cultivation, water used for irrigation and air emitted from surrounded factories. Results showed that soil pH in the study area are slightly alkaline and varied from 7.8 to 8.1 and the concentrations of the investigated heavy metals in the soil possessed the sequence of (Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Co > Ni > Cd). The soil of the three studied species in Sites III and IV attained concentrations of heavy metals more than sites I and II, this is due to they were the nearest sites to the industrial complex in wind direction and was irrigated with water mixed with the drainage of Desert Reestablishment Complex.
All growth parameters in C. melo decreased in the site next to the factory in all phenological stages due to the increase of heavy metal levels in the soil of this site. Whereas most growth parameters in C. pepo and some growth parameters of S. lycopersicum also decreased in the site next to the factory due to the same reason.
Comparing the studied species, it was clear that S. lycopersicum attained the highest concentrations of the most of heavy metals followed by C. melo. On the other hand C. pepo showed the highest TF among the examined crops. Generally, the highest concentrations of heavy metals in each plant in different organs, sites and phenological stages were achieved in the sites which had maximum biomass production.
On conclusion none of the investigated species can considered as a hyperaccumulator plant but the shoots and roots of the three species exhibited concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr and Cu higher than the recommended levels for crops. Also fruits of the three plants revealed concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr and Co (moreover Cu in C. melo and Ni in C. pepo) exceeded the permissible limits for food stuff. The attendance of these heavy metals with concentrations exceeded the permissible levels for foods in the investigated edible vegetables indicate that the area is not appropriate for vegetables production and animal custody. Therefore, it is necessary to establish governmental rules to stop cultivating the vegetable plants and to push community awareness on the human health risks associated with heavy metal pollution in this area. This case stresses the responsibility of the.