الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study deals with the ecophysiological and molecular effects of the gypsum factory on two wild species belonging to genus Zygophyllum. The plants under investigation was collected from two different areas at the south of Sinai particularly at delta of Wadi Gharandal, one of them was near a gypsum factor (Zahret Sinai Gypsum Factory) which considered as the polluted site (Ras Malaab) and the other area were far about 25 Km from the factory and considered as the unpolluted site (Wadi Thal). The two Zygophyllum species were Z. album and Z. coccineum.
Table 2: chemical composition of gypsum.
Major element composition (%)
CaSO4 69.0
Al2O3 7.8
SiO2 5.2
Fe2O3 4.2
H2O 6.2
Mg 4.5
Trace element impurities 3.1
Trace element content in ppm
Zn 100
Cl 125
Cu 3
Ba 25
For the analysis of soil we collect three samples at three soil depths (0-20, 20-40 and 40-60) from the two sites and three samples of each depth were collected during two seasons (summer and winter o2007) and different physical and chemical analysis were carried out to determine the difference between the polluted site soil and non polluted site.
For plant analysis large amount the shoot system were collected for the two plant species and from polluted and unpolluted sites, and for membrane analysis only we collect the whole root system by digging around the Zygophyllum plant species and then we chooses the youngest roots only.
Soil analysis
Soil texture of both area were sandy soil
The pH was alkaline in Wadi Thal soil paste but it was acidic in Ras Malaab soil paste
The electric conductivity of the soil from non polluted site was lower than those of polluted site
All elements (K, Na, Ca, Al, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mg and Cl) and available P were greater in the polluted soil sample than in the non polluted soil samples, and the highest elements were aluminum and calcium but for available N was the opposite.
The organic carbon and humus contents were higher in the soil samples non polluted site than in the soil samples of polluted sites
Plant analysis
Ash content and succulence were greater in the two Zygophyllum species collected from the polluted site comparing with those collected from non polluted site, and the in Z. coccineum was higher than in Z. album
The concentration of chlorophyll a and b was decreased in the plants from the polluted site but the carotenoids increased as compared with those collected from unpolluted site.
The activity of ascorbic oxidase , super oxide dismutase and guaiacol peroxidase was significantly increased in polluted plants and in Z. album more than Z. coccineum , and the activity of catalase were lower in polluted plants comparing with unpolluted one.
The soluble sugars increased in plants collected from polluted site but the polysaccharides were decreased in polluted plants as compared with those collected from unpolluted site.
Proline content increased in the two Zygophyllum species under pollution and also the malondialdehyde ascompared with those collected from unpolluted site.
For the plasma membrane, all analyzed components were decreased in plants under pollution (total lipids, total phospholipids, total glycolipids and sterols) the most important results were those of the phospholipids classes (decrease in the PC / PE ration in both Zygophyllum species especially in Z. album) and the fatty acids classes (increase in the saturated / unsaturated fatty acids ratio by the ammpounts Zygophyllum in both species).
New six polypeptide bands appeared in the tissue of Z. coccineum under polluted conditions and four polypeptide bands disappeared. Under pollution conditions six proteins appeared and four proteins disappeared from the tissue of Z. album