Geochemical characteristics of agricultural soils, Assiut governorate, Egypt

Abstract

The Nile Valley soils are very comparable in composition and composed mainly of SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, and TiO2 which represent about 88% of its chemical composition. The chemical composition gave an indication about the mineralogical assemblage of soil; quartz, clay minerals, and calcite. The results pointed to the mixed source (geogenic and anthropogenic) of Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Zr, and Cr and the anthropogenic source of As, Pb, and Cd (especially phosphatic fertilizers) in the studied soil.