Heavy metals analysis of water, soils and sediments along the Oued Boufekrane river (central Morocco) using WD-XRF and ICP-AES

Abstract

Oued Boufekrane is a river that takes its source about thirty kilometers southern the city of Meknes (central Morocco). The water of this river is used for the irrigation of agricultural soils and it also covers the needs of water for part of rural population. When passing through Meknes city, it is loaded by waste waters of urban and industrial origin and particularly from artisanal tanneries and potteries. The purpose of this study is to measure the heavy metal concentrations in soil, sediment and water samples along the Oued Boufekrane river by means of WD-XRF and ICP-AES. The heavy metals content measured revealed to be below the critical levels defined as risk levels except for Cu in water and sediment which content, in some sites, is close to these risk levels; for Cr in sediments, which content increase from up-to downstream of Meknes city and for Pb in soils, which concentrations revealed to be high in the vicinity of road axes.