WATER CHARACTERISTICS AND COMPOSITION OF SUSPENDED

WATER CHARACTERISTICS AND COMPOSITION OF SUSPENDED
MATTER OF ISMAILIA CANAL, EGYPT
By
M. M. ISBAK AND S. R. KHALIL
Department of Limnology, Institute of oceanography and Fisheries, Cairo,
Egypt. and Depaitment of Radiation Protection, Atomic Enet’gy Establishment, Cairo, Egypt.

ABSTRACT
lWLLETh’ OF THE INSTITUTB OF OCEANOGRAPHy & l!’ISH RIlD’l::i 429
Analysis of Ismailia Canal water and suspended matter were carried
over a period of twelve months. The water is moderately hard with low
mineral content. Slight changes in the physicoehemical characteristica of
the water were observed.
The particle size ansalysis of the suspended matter showed that it was
composed of a clayey-silt-fraction. Silt particles constitute about 89% ;
clay and colloidal constituents represent 11%. The inorganic fraction was
relatively high and formed about 80%. while the organic fraction was about
20%. The mineralogical analysis showed that the suspended particulate
matter was mainly composed of kaolinite, chlorite and rllite. The chemical
analysis indicated that Si, Al, and Fe were the major elements present.