Heavy Metal Contamination of Oued El Harrache Surface Water (Algiers- Algeria)

Abstract

Marine pollution resulting from the presence of heavy metals at high concentrations is a serious threat to marine fauna, flora and the human health. Thus, the present study was conducted to quantify the concentrations of these dangerous pollutants and make the Algerian public aware of the intensity and of these toxic elements contaminating the water surface of Oued El Harrache (Algiers- Algeria). Several physicochemical and heavy metal parameters were addressed to examine the impact of trace elements concentations on selected sites along the river under study. Results showed that, this wadi which exists in the North of Algeria and which is used by many farmers for irrigation is highly polluted and loaded with extremely high concentrations of heavy metals, mainly from effluents and discharges of industrial and anthropic activities, which are very harmful to our health and to the environment in general. All these undesirable effects damage the balance of all ecosystems and affect sustainable development, and this requires cooperation between industrial companies and different state domains such as agriculture and environment to solve this serious problem; and it remains the remediation of water is the best way to fight against this phenomenon that degrades our life and our environment.