Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND ASSESSMENT OF SURFACE SOILSCONTAMINATION BY HEAVY METALS OF AN INDUSTRIAL AREA:THE LéVRIER BAY (NOUADHIBOU, MAURITANIA)

M. Yehdhih, H. El Hadi, B. Baghdad, S. Chakiri and A. Hamoud

Abstract

Geochemical study of seventeen surface soils of the Lévrier Bay used eleven heavy metals to displaydescriptive statistics and to assess the environmental impact of this industrial area. The analysis of elevenheavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, V, Cr, Co, Hg, Cd, As and Mo), major and other trace elements, were performedby ICP-MS. Pollution load Index (PLI) show low degree of contamination. Geochemical Index (Igeo) andenrichment Factor (EF) have been used to assess the environment quality at varied sites in (0-25cm) soils.Results display moderate concentrations for the most of elements excepted the As and Hg which often areupon the amount measured in the UCC baseline. The local presence Hg and As, limited to some sites of thearea, allow to conclude that the soils of the Lévrier Bay didn’t suffer from the human activities in the area.