Occurrence, contamination level and ecological risk assessment of dissolved and particulate trace elements in rivers entering the southwestern Mediterranean Sea

Moustafa Benhalima; Mostefa Boulahdid; Yassine Guendouzi; Olivier Radakovitch; Mohamed Aroua; Scott W Fowler; Jean-Paul Ambrosi; Bernard Angeletti

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113723

Occurrence, contamination level and ecological risk assessment of dissolved and particulate trace elements in rivers entering the southwestern Mediterranean Sea

Mar Pollut Bull. 2022 Jul:180:113723. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113723. Epub 2022 May 18.

Authors

Moustafa Benhalima¹, Mostefa Boulahdid², Yassine Guendouzi³, Olivier Radakovitch⁴, Mohamed Aroua², Scott W Fowler⁵, Jean-Paul Ambrosi⁶, Bernard Angeletti⁶

Affiliations

¹ Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Laboratory (ECOSYSMarL), National Higher School of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management (ENSSMAL), BP19, university Campus of Dely Ibrahim, Bois des Cars, 16320, Algiers, Algeria; Laboratory Management and Valorization of Agricultural and Aquatic Ecosystems, Science Institute, University Center of Tipaza Morsli Abdallah, Oued Merzoug 42200, Tipaza, Algeria. Electronic address: mustapha90.b@gmail.com.
² Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Laboratory (ECOSYSMarL), National Higher School of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management (ENSSMAL), BP19, university Campus of Dely Ibrahim, Bois des Cars, 16320, Algiers, Algeria.
³ Laboratory Management and Valorization of Agricultural and Aquatic Ecosystems, Science Institute, University Center of Tipaza Morsli Abdallah, Oued Merzoug 42200, Tipaza, Algeria.
⁴ Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, 12 BP3, 13115 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France.
⁵ School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000, USA.
⁶ Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France, CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France.

PMID: 35596997
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113723

Abstract

Metal pollution in rivers should not be overlooked before their entry into the sea. However, there are few studies for estimating such contamination in rivers entering the Algerian coastal waters. Semimonthly quantification of dissolved and particulate metals, near the mouths of two industrial-tainted rivers, El Harrach and Mazafran rivers, was carried out during a period of one year. All the trace metals analyzed are originating from anthropogenic sources (EF > 1.5), with higher contamination of dissolved Pb, Cd, Zn and Ni and a slight degree of contamination of particulate Cu and Zn (0 < I_geo < 1). Particulate metals show a stable complex with the particulate phase (e.g. 2 < LogK_d < 6). The risk assessment results indicate that particulate Pb and Zn have a 33% likelihood of toxicity for adverse biological effects. A significant toxicity effect (ΣTUi >4) of the combined particulate metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni and As) was primarily due to the higher particulate Cd, Zn, and Cr availability.

Keywords: Algerian coastal zone; ICP-MS; Index analysis approach; Pollution metals; River water quality.

MeSH terms

Cadmium
China
Dust
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Geologic Sediments
Lead
Mediterranean Sea
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Risk Assessment
Rivers
Trace Elements* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Dust
Metals, Heavy
Trace Elements
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Cadmium
Lead