Groundwater pollution is a global issue in highly populated areas, the Eastern Nile Delta region is a typical example; especially around artificial wastewater drains. In the present work, a multidisciplinary approach using hydrogeochemical, microbiological and geophysical data was applied to determine the vulnerability conditions and to identify potential pathways through which contaminants could potentially percolate to shallow aquifers in the southern boundary of Eastern Nile Delta. An organized groundwater sampling was conducted for hydrogeochemical investigation in rural areas along the Belbies unlined drain. This drain is known of being heavily polluted by agricultural and municipal wastewater.

The hydrogeochemical analysis reveals high pollution levels by Pb, Cd, and Cr for most of the collected shallow groundwater samples nearby the drain. Additionally NO₃⁻, fecal and total coliform bacteria were observed in many samples with high concentrations. Six factors were distinguished on the basis of principal component analysis and varimax rotation, with total variance more than 78%. These factors reflected sewage contamination, lithogenic and anthropogenic effects on the shallow groundwater. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed two main clusters of groundwater groups. Accordingly, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) was carried out in the areas of the distinguished clusters to locate potential preferential flow paths and horizons of lateral flow around the drain. The obtained resistivity models illustrate breakthrough behavior in parts of the measured profiles due to the presence of permeable paths closed to the drain.

The applied integrative approach is valuable for understanding the ambiguities during the interpretation process and for characterizing water quality and the aquifer vulnerability conditions. Additionally, it may guide to understand the surface-groundwater links in order to supply the growing population with safe water.

在人口稠密地区，地下水污染是一个全球性问题，尼罗河三角洲东部地区就是一个典型的例子。尤其是在人造废水排水沟附近。在目前的工作中，采用了利用水文地球化学，微生物学和地球物理数据的多学科方法来确定脆弱性条件，并确定污染物可能通过其渗透到尼罗河东部三角洲南部边界的浅层含水层的潜在途径。在Belbies无衬砌排水沟沿线的农村地区进行了有组织的地下水采样，以进行水文地球化学调查。众所周知，该排水沟被农业和市政废水严重污染。

水文地球化学分析表明，排水沟附近大部分收集的浅层地下水样品中铅，镉和铬的污染水平很高。此外NO ₃ ^-在许多高浓度样品中都观察到了粪便，大肠菌和总大肠杆菌。在主成分分析和方差最大旋转的基础上，区分出六个因素，总方差超过78％。这些因素反映了污水污染，对浅层地下水的成岩作用和人为作用。层次聚类分析揭示了两个主要的地下水群。因此，电阻率层析成像（ERT）是在杰出的集群区域进行的，以定位潜在的优先流动路径和围绕排水口的侧向流层。所获得的电阻率模型说明了由于靠近排水口的渗透路径的存在，在部分测得剖面中的突破行为。

所应用的综合方法对于理解解释过程中的歧义性以及表征水质和含水层脆弱性条件非常有价值。另外，它可以指导您了解地表水与地下水之间的联系，以便为不断增长的人口提供安全的水。