Major constituents in Lake Edku water, Egypt

Lake Edku represents three habitats as (1) drainage habitat; (2) lake–sea connection, which is considered the intermediate zone between Lake Edku and the Mediterranean Sea; and (3) the body of Lake Habitat. Physicochemical characteristics such as water salinity and major constituents (Ca++, Mg++, Na+, K+, CO3−−, Cl− and SO4−−), were determined seasonally during 2009–2010 through four field trips at nine locations and four drains (Edku, Bousaly, El-Khairy and Berseek drains). Salinity differed between 3.56‰ during autumn and 8.80‰ during summer with an annual average of 6.62‰, while in drains salinity ranged between 1.99‰ during winter and 6.69‰ during summer. The concentration of major cations is found in the order Na+ > Mg++ > Ca++ > K+, while the concentration of the major anions is in the following order: Cl− > SO4−− > CO3−−. It was found that many of these ecological factors were impacted seasonally.