NITRITE LEVELS IN WELL WATER FROM DIFFERENT RURAL AREAS IN MOROCCOYoussef El Baroudi, Chadia Ouazzani, Azzedine Er-Ramly, Abdellah Moustaghfir, Issam Essebbahi, Abdallah Dami and Lhoussine BalouchAbstract Nitrites are an intermediate product involved in the oxidation and reduction reactions of the nitrogen cycle. They are considered toxic and are only found in minimal concentrations in well water. Agricultural (manure, use of nitrogen fertilizers...) and industrial activities, discharges from wastewater treatment plants, urban waste and human and animal excreta are the main parameters that lead to the increase in concentration and contamination by nitrites in well waters. The objective of this study was to determine and evaluate the level of contamination of well water in different rural areas in Morocco and to show the potential impact of this contamination on the health of the population. This is a prospective study carried out on 53 samples collected in 10 rural areas in Morocco. The physico-chemical analyses showed that out of the 53 samples, 25 exceeded the Moroccan standards (N.M. 03.7.001) of 0.1 mg/l at the exitof water treatment facilities and 9 samples exceeded the international standards of 0.2 mg/l set by the WHO. The consumption of this water contaminated by nitrites can have, in the long term, a harmful effect on health and mainly by the appearance of methemoglobinemia. These results show the seriousness of the problem and the need to implement concrete sanitary measures to correct it in order to ensure the protection of the health of the population living in rural areas. |