Investigation of heavy metal contamination and ecological and health risks in farmland soils from southeastern phosphate plateaus of Khouribga (Morocco)
A. Barakat, Rida Khellouk, W. Ennaji, Hassan Mosaid
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引用次数: 1
Abstract
The present study was conducted in the SE area of phosphate plateaus (Khouribga) located in central Morocco. It attempted to assess the heavy metal (HM) (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn) contamination in the farmland soils and their potential ecological hazard and non-non-carcinogenic risks using various pollution indices, magnetic susceptibility (MS), and Geographical Information System (GIS) methods. A total of 41 soil samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), grain-size, organic matter (OM), calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and MS and HM elements. The results showed a mean dominance order of Zn>Cr>Cu>Pb>Cd where mean concentrations of HMs, except Pb, exceeded their local background and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) permissible guidelines. The values of geo-accumulation index (Igeo), nemerow pollution index (PI), and pollution load index (PLI) revealed significant high level of HM contamination in soils. The MS values showed a spatial distribution pattern similar to those of HMs, attesting the ability of the MS method for mapping the contaminated soils. Agricultural and mining activities and geologic materials were the main sources of HM accumulation. According to the potential ecological risk index (RI) (195.93
期刊介绍：
The fundamental task set by the editors of the journal is to bring together and present a diversity of research connected with ecology. Apart from the traditional ecological research areas, the scope of the journal will embrace more peripheral ecological issues connected with other disciplines of biology. Recognizing the increasing importance of the humanities in ecological research, the editors will strive to give such issues due representation in the journal. We hope to encourage the researchers contributing to the journal to adopt an unconventional approach to solving ecological problems, to go beyond classical, well-established conceptions, and to include methodological and anthropological issues. Such an approach is validated by the intensive development of the sciences bordering on both biology and the humanities that has been observed over recent years.
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