EFFECT OF NITROGENOUS FERTILIZERS FACTORY (TALKHA FERTILIZERS FACTORY) ON NITRATE STATUS IN THE AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT.

This research work was carried out to evaluate nitrogenous fertilizers factory (Talkha fertilizers factory) as a source of nitrate pollution and its content in the soil, irrigation and drainage water and cultivated plants in its Talkha area, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Soil samples were taken at soil depths of 0-15, 15-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm at five distances of the factory .i.e. at before 500m of the factory (as control), 0, 500, 1000 and 1500 m after them. These soil samples were analyzed for some physical and chemical properties and also for its content of different N-forms .i.e. total - N, NH4-N, NO3-N, NO2-N and organic- N (O-N). At the soil sampling sites, samples of both irrigation and drainage water were taken and analyzed for their pH, EC and the content of both NH4-N and NO3-N. At the same sites, samples of cultivated plants were taken and analyzed for the content of total - N, NH4-N and NO3- N. After that, the relationships between some soil properties and its content of different N- forms were calculated. From theses relations and predication equations the predict soil content of NO3-N was calculated.The obtained data show that, the soil content (mg/kg) of different N forms was decreased with the increase of soil depth, except NO3-N was increased with the soil depth up to 60 cm. Also, the content of these forms was decreased with the distance increase of the factory. The relationships between soil properties and the content of different N- forms varied depending on the studied soil property and N-forms. Generally, the prediction values of NO3-N were higher than those of determined NO3- N. Also both irrigation and drainage water and plant samples content of both NH4-N and NO3-N was decreased with the distance of the factory increase.