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. 2025 May;88(4):419-436.
doi: 10.1007/s00244-025-01129-6. Epub 2025 May 9.

Biological Diversity Associated with Pesticides Residues in Certain Egyptian Watercourses

Asmaa Abdel-Motleb  1 , Rania M Abd El-Hamid  2 , Sara S M Sayed  3
Affiliations

Biological Diversity Associated with Pesticides Residues in Certain Egyptian Watercourses

Asmaa Abdel-Motleb et al. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2025 May.

Abstract

The aquatic environment has been contaminated by pyrethroids and triazole pesticide applications, which pose serious health risks to the aquatic ecosystem and human beings. Therefore, the current study aims to evaluate water quality parameters, fungal diversity, and distribution of snails and aquatic plants of certain Egyptian water courses contaminated with pyrethroids and triazole pesticides. Seasonal samples were taken throughout 2021 from different water courses at Giza Governorate and Tanta (Gharbeya Governorate). Qualitative and quantitative surveys showed significant differences in water physical parameters between the two investigated governorates. Deltamethrin, permethrin, Es-fenvalerate, and lambada-cyhalothrin showed the highest pyrethroids concentrations, while tebuconazole, tetraconazole, and difenoconazole were the highest triazole concentrations. Fungal diversity displayed 21 molecularly identified fungal species related to four fungal genera: Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Trichoderma. Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus niger were the most frequent species. Snail diversity recorded 10 and 9 species in Giza and Tanta, respectively. Physa acuta was the most abundant snail. Ten species of aquatic plants were observed in Giza, while six species were observed in Tanta. Specifically, Eichhornia crassipes and Lemna gibba were the dominant species in the two governorates, with the relative abundance (39 and 22%) in Giza and (27 and 23%) in Tanta, respectively. Water quality parameters and seasonal variations could control fungal diversity, snails, and aquatic plant distribution. Different relations between pesticides and biological communities may reflect the ability/inability of certain snails and fungi species to commensalism with pesticide concentrations. Continuous pesticide monitoring is essential for life below water and aligns with SDG14.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors do not have any conflict of interest to declare. Ethical Approval: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of authors.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Physical parameters of water samples collected from Giza Governorate and Tanta, during four seasons (during 2021) *,**, and *** refer to significant results at p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001, respectively, using t-test
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Seasonal variation in fungal frequency in water courses representing Giza Governorate a and Tanta b
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Relative abundance of snail species in Giza Governorate a and Tanta b during four seasons (during 2021)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Relative abundance of aquatic plants in Giza Governorate a and Tanta b during four seasons (during 2021)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Principal component (PC) analysis showing the correlation patterns between fungi species and physical parameters in Giza Governorate a and Tanta b
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Principal component (PC) analysis showing the correlation patterns between fungi species and pyrethroid concentrations in Giza Governorate a and Tanta b
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Principal component (PC) analysis showing the correlation patterns between fungi species and triazole concentrations in Giza Governorate a and Tanta b
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Conical corresponding analysis (CCA) showed distribution of different snail species from Giza Governorate according to water physical parameters and aquatic plants
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Conical corresponding analysis (CCA) showed distribution of different snail species from Tanta according to water physical parameters and aquatic plants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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