Physicochemical, Bacteriological, and Radiochemical Characterization of Some Algerian Thermal Spring Waters

Abstract

Hot springs have been known for a long time over the world. They are used for curative action and healing properties linked to their physical and chemical characteristics. In order to best use the opportunities provided by globalization, Algerian authorities try to modernize its social and economic policies investing mainly in geothermal resources recognizing that the hot springs have rich potential to develop ecotourism. Nevertheless, the use of thermal waters requires nowadays a prior characterization to study their quality. The mineral bacteriology assessment Type 0, Type 1, and Type 2 are used to assess the microbiological quality. It consists of the enumeration of total aerobic flora (37 $$^{\circ }\hbox {C})$$ , Coliforms and Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci, sulphite-reducing bacteria spores, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella and pathogenic staphylococci using standard microbiological techniques and culture method. The sixteen thermal springs mainly from the eastern part of Algeria, whose water temperature ranges between 39 and 93 $$^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$ , were also subjected to hydrochemical and gamma spectrometric methods. The obtained results showed the average number of total aerobic flora ranging from 0 to $$4\times 10^{4}$$ CFU/mL and the presence of Staphylococcus aureus species. Four springs revealed the presence of Legionella. Two springs among the four also exhibited a significant contamination by enterococci. The conductivity ranged from 296 to 48,100 $$\upmu $$ S/cm. The thermal waters are rich in minerals representing the evaporite deposits leaching with high temperatures and significant mineralization in both major and minor elements. Measured activities of $$^{40}$$ K ranged from 360 to 6,330 mBq/L. For the $$^{238}\hbox {U}$$ series, $$^{226}\hbox {Ra}$$ activity concentrations varied from 8 to 6,110 mBq/L. Activity concentrations determined for $$^{137}\hbox {Cs}$$ revealed that only one thermal spring contained this radionuclide with concentration of 95 mBq/L.