Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY BY ANALYZING HEAVYMETALS IN THE LEVRIER BAY (NOUADHIBOU, MAURITANIA)

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

Abstract

In this study, variations in physicochemical parameters and heavy metal contamination in water of theBaie de Lévrier are instigated from 25 stations to assess the quality of water. The pH of the waters isrelatively basic and the temperatures are a little high compared to the temperatures of the Atlantic Ocean inDecember. The measured conductivity remains within the range of known conductivity quantities that is56 μS/cm for the oceans. The average concentration of the four heavy metals in water is therefore in theorder of 0.02. The comparison with the background (SE26) allows us to note that: - concentrations of Cu areeither low or similar to those of the stations SE5, SE8, SE10, SE12, SE13, SE24, SE25, - concentrations of Coare relatively high in most stations SE2, SE4, SE6, SE9, SE11, SE13, SE16, SE17, SE18, SE19, SE20, SE21,SE22, SE23, SE24, particularly in stations SE14 and SE16.; - As concentrations are the same except thestation SE1; - concentrations of Mo in the stations SE4, SE6, SE9, SE12, SE14, SE21, SE23, SE24 are relativelyhigher compared to that of the background, while in the other stations the concentrations are low. Calculatedpollution values (IPs) are less than1, suggesting the absence of pollution in the analyzed water.Igeo valuesare all very low (Igeo<<0) and attest to a very low level of contamination, the enrichment factor (EF)displayslarge values (>1) for arsenic, particularly at stations SE1 (EF=70), SE5 and SE22(EF=7). Such valueswould be related to the influence of external discrete sources like industrial activities and other anthropogenicorigins.