Northeast Algeria Research Articles

Groundwater contamination apportionment in Beida-Bordj rural territory, northeast Algeria, using the nitrate pollution index (NPI) and groundwater pollution index (GPI)

Most of the time, too much use of artificial fertilizers in rural areas, especially nitrogen fertilizers used to make crops grow faster, causes nitrate levels in groundwater to rise. In the Beida-Bordj area in northeast Algeria, groundwater is the main source of water for agriculture and drinking. Because of this, the quality of groundwater is very important. Therefore, nitrogen pollution in groundwater, which is one of the most important environmental problems, needs to be looked into. Therefore, evaluating groundwater contamination to protect human health was the primary focus of this investigation. As a result, 111 samples were taken in May 2022 from wells in different parts of the study area for physical and chemical research. Therefore, the nitrogen pollution index (NPI) and the groundwater pollution index (GPI) have been used to measure how clean groundwater is. The results show that the groundwater in the area that was tested is alkaline. Based on their average values, the abundance of cations and anions is as follows: Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+; and SO42− > Cl− > HCO3− > NO3−, in that order. The estimated NPIs ranged from – 1 to 4.5, with 0.92 being the average. Overall, the NPI data showed that only 25% of groundwater samples were clean, and the other 75% were dirty. The GPI readings ranged from 6.3 to 0.4, with an average of 1.2. This means that only 54% of the samples of groundwater from the study area were safe to drink. According to analyses of water quality parameters like SAR, SSP, RSC, PI, MH, and KR, the majority of groundwater samples from the research region are suitable for irrigation, because they fall into the "good" or "suitable" quality classes. This study's findings offer some intriguing suggestions for lowering pollution levels and bolstering groundwater management strategies for the future.

Prospective of an Inland Waterway System of Shipping Canals in Skikda (Algeria)

Sustainable development projects require careful balancing of economic interests and ecological needs. The case of Skikda, a city in northeast Algeria, located on the Mediterranean coast, illustrates the challenges connected with such a development. The ancient city coexists with a young hydrocarbon port and industrial pole that serves as a transfer hub in the flow of petroleum between hinterland and sea. The installation of the port and petrochemical refining plants on the banks of the estuary of the Safsaf River presents many challenges to local citizens and the ecosystem, including pollution of the water system, groundwater, and river water, and damage to the area’s ancient heritage. This study argues that we need new and less polluting forms of intermodality between hinterland and seaport to make urban mobility more sustainable. It asks whether and how the existing rivers and wadis (river channels that are dry except during rainy periods) can be transformed into artificial canals for river navigation to improve the transport fluidity and sustainability of Skikda. To answer this question, the study adopts a prospective approach using the MICMAC scenario method. This approach entails, first, presenting and evaluating the potentialities of the existing rivers of Skikda using QGIS, and second, discussing and proposing scenarios for transforming these rivers into urban waterways, that is, artificial canals for inland navigation. The prospect of inland waterway transport in Skikda may be a radical scenario, yet, despite its hydraulic capacity and advantages, this system is not receiving attention in Algeria. We suggest that water transport can breathe sustainable blue life into a vulnerable industrial port city, transforming its challenges into opportunities.

The impact of climate change on groundwater quantity and quality in a semi-arid environment: a case study of Ain Azel plain (Northeast Algeria)

The impact of climate change on groundwater quantity and quality in a semi-arid environment: a case study of Ain Azel plain (Northeast Algeria)

Exploring neotectonic activity in a semiarid basin: a case study of the Ain Zerga watershed

AbstractMediterranean basin exposed to ongoing processes of erosion and deformation. Neotectonics is the study of the geological processes involved in the deformation of the Earth’s crust. The topography of the terrain is greatly impacted by these neotectonic events, which has a considerable impact on the drainage pattern and general geomorphology of the region. In this work, the active tectonics were evaluated using the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and several Geomorphic Indices in the Ain Zerga region of Northeast Algeria. Asymmetry factor, basin form, the ratio of valley floor width to valley height, the sinuosity of mountain fronts, hypsometric integral, hypsometric curve, and transverse topographic symmetry factor were some of the indices used. These findings emphasize the tremendous tectonic activity that exists in the study area. In comparison to sub-watershed N°2, sub-watersheds N°1, N°3, and N°4 had stronger tectonic activity, according to the examination of these geomorphic indicators. The Relative Tectonic Activity Index (Iat) distribution pattern, which concurred with other pieces of information such as stream deflection and lineament analysis, corroborated these conclusions. We were able to learn a lot about the different levels of tectonic activity in the sub-watersheds by using traditional geomorphic indices. The tectonic activity-exhibiting basins consistently displayed connections with structural disturbances, basin geometry, and field research. Geomorphic indices and morphometric characteristics were used to identify tectonically active zones in a portion of the Mellegue transboundary basin, which shows a considerable influence of neotectonic activity in a portion of the Neogene basin.

Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Antifungal and Anticholinesterase activity of the Extracts of Ruta Montana L., Harvested from Souk-Ahras (North-East of Algeria) and Composition of its Extracts by GC-MS

Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Antifungal and Anticholinesterase activity of the Extracts of Ruta Montana L., Harvested from Souk-Ahras (North-East of Algeria) and Composition of its Extracts by GC-MS

Mapping of Soil Erosion Using Remote Sensing and GIS: Case of The Oued Bouhamdane Watershed (North-East of Algeria)

The northern region of Algeria is experiencing a real threat to the spatial extension of soil erosion. The Oued Bouhamdane watershed, part of this region, brings together all the natural and anthropogenic conditions that accelerate its degradation. This study is based on the use of remote sensing and GIS to map soil erosion in the Oued Bouhamdane watershed in north-eastern Algeria, using the Gavrilovic equation. The combination of data from different sources and field observation has made it possible to draw up a contextualized map of all the factors of soil erosion. Integrating the model into the GIS made it possible to give a first estimate of the annual volume of eroded soils, i.e., 14.57% of the total area of the Oued Bouhamdane watershed is affected, where soil losses are estimated on average at 941.13m3/Km2/year. This modest cartographic result is a perfect base for environmental monitoring and managing water resources in this watershed.

Neural networks based linear (PCA) and nonlinear (ISOMAP) feature extraction for soil swelling pressure prediction (North East Algeria)

The swelling pressure (SP) of expansive soils is crucial for both geotechnical studies as well as practitioners. Multiple attempts have been made to correlate the SP with the properties of soil due to the difficulty of determining it in the laboratory. However, the large number of environmental and physical governing parameters makes accurate SP predictions difficult. In this paper, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are used to assess accurate prediction of SP of soil. Dimension reduction techniques are intensely required for ANNs inputs. Feature extraction (FE) based dimension reduction (DR) methods map original multidimensional space into a space of reduced dimensionality. This paper presents a comparative study of linear FE using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and nonlinear FE using ISOmetric MAPping (ISOMAP) for feed forward neural models to predict SP. Results showed that FE technique improves ANNs models compared to multiple linear regression (MLR) and ANNs model without DR. Moreover, nonlinear ISOMAP based DR technique has proven its effectiveness regarding performance metrics for five dimensions inputs (Dims), Determination coefficient (R2 = 0.923), Mean absolute percentage error (MAPE = 0.072), and Root mean square error (RMSE = 54.937) and Root relative squared error (RRSE = 0.383). Therefore, ISOMAP-ANN models can be adopted to solve geotechnical problems specially those of expansive soils which have a very complex and nonlinear structure.

Cattle co-infection patterns by hemopathogens and their phylogenetic analysis during the tick season in Constantine and Mila, Northeast Algeria.

Tropical theileriosis, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis are the most dominant tick-borne infections in North Africa where they cause significant economic losses in ruminants' industry. The aim of the present work was to study infections and co-infection patterns in 66 cattle with clinical signs of piroplasmosis and/or anaplasmosis in two localities, Beni Hamidene and Grarem Gouga, districts of Constantine and Mila (Northeast of Algeria), respectively. This study was conducted between early May and late September during four years 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021. PCR showed that the most frequent pathogen in cattle with clinical signs of piroplasmosis and/or anaplasmosis was Theileria annulata (66/66; 100%) followed by Babesia bovis (21/66; 31.8%), Anaplasma marginale (15/66; 22.7%), and Babesia bigemina (3/66; 4.5%) (p < 0.001). Giemsa-stained blood smears examinations revealed that 66.7% (44/66); 10.6% (7/66); and 9.1% (6/66) of cattle were infected by T. annulata, Babesia spp., and A. marginale, respectively (p < 0.001). PCR revealed seven co-infection patterns: T. annulata/A. marginale (15/66; 22.7%), T. annulata/B. bovis (21/66; 31.8%), T. annulata/B. bigemina (3/66; 4.5%), T. annulata/A. marginale/B. bovis (7/66; 10.6%), T. annulata/B. bovis/B. bigemina (2/66; 3%), T. annulata/A. marginale/B. bigemina (1/66; 1.5%), and T. annulata/A. marginale/B. bigemina/B. bovis (1/66; 1.5%). Phylogenetic analyses showed that T. annulata Tams1 and B. bigemina gp45 sequences were identical to isolates from Mauritania and South Africa, respectively. The three A. marginale amplicons obtained herein had 99.63 to 99.88% similarity between them. This study provides data that can be used to improve control programs targeting these cattle hemopathogens.

Molecular identification, antibacterial activity, and production of hydrolytic enzymes by halotolerant bacterium Streptomyces sp. ESM2-25 GTF strain isolated from extreme environment in north-east of Algeria

Molecular identification, antibacterial activity, and production of hydrolytic enzymes by halotolerant bacterium Streptomyces sp. ESM2-25 GTF strain isolated from extreme environment in north-east of Algeria

A new species of Perinereis Kinberg, 1865 (Annelida: Nereididae) from the Western Mediterranean Sea revealed by morphological and molecular approaches

This study uses morphological and molecular evidence to describe a new intertidal species of Perinereis Kinberg, 1865 (Annelida: Nereididae) from northeast Algeria. Perinereis louizomarum n. sp. belongs to Subgroup 1A, which is distinguished by a single bar shaped paragnath on area VI of the proboscis and a dorsal ligule that is either slightly or not expanded in the posterior parapodia. The new species differs from P. cultrifera and similar congeners by having a bare area V and slightly enlarged posterior dorsal ligules. Furthermore, using newly generated and mined sequences from online databases, and mined sequences of Perinereis species from online, the analysis of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) mitochondrial gene sequences supported its status as new species. An identification key of the Perinereis species belonging to Subgroup 1A is also provided.

A multi-year survey on aquatic avifauna consolidates the eligibility of a small significant peri-urban wetland in northeast Algeria (Boussedra marsh) to be included on the Important Bird Areas network

A multi-year survey on aquatic avifauna consolidates the eligibility of a small significant peri-urban wetland in northeast Algeria (Boussedra marsh) to be included on the Important Bird Areas network

Integrated gravity and resistivity investigations of the deep Hammam Bradaa aquifer, Northeast Algeria: Implications for groundwater exploration

Recently, the Guelma region, located northeast of Algeria, has been facing an unusual water shortage. To bypass this situation, a geophysical study using gravity and resistivity has been initiated to enhance the understanding of the geology and hydrogeology of the deep structures of the study area. In order to accomplish this, a residual gravity anomaly map has been constructed by removing from the Bouguer anomaly map a regional gravity gradient using the upward continuation technique. For the purpose of validating the Vertical Electrical Sounding(VES) interpretation, two soundings were conducted near boreholes with known lithology. The Hammam Bradaa deep aquifer of the Guelma region is composed of limestones that belong to the Constantine neritic domain. The Constantine neritic domain is covered by thrust nappes and outcrops in some places of the study area as tectonic windows. The exact geometry such as depth and lateral extent of the aquifer are not well known. Since limestones are characterized by high densities and resistivities relative to the host rock, the combining of gravity and VES was able to accurately map their extension among the other lithologies composing the geological section. Multiscale edge detection of gravity data known as "worms" made it possible to highlight the principal lineaments across the study area which may contribute to the recharge of the Hammam Bradaa aquifer. The 3D Gravity inversion enabled the mapping of the spatial configuration of limestones that are characterized by positive gravity contrast relative to the host rocks. A vertical density slice extracted from the 3D gravity inversion, running from north to south, reveals a significant thickness of limestone beneath Hammam Bradaa which suggests a strong potential for groundwater resources. The geo-electric section, constructed from the interpretation of VES data and calibrated with well lithology, enabled the mapping of the depth to the top of limestone beneath conductive alluvium and marls.

Assessment of the combined effects of Manning roughness and DEM resolution for the water surface elevation prediction using the HEC-RAS model: a case study of Moudjar River in the Northeast of Algeria

Assessment of the combined effects of Manning roughness and DEM resolution for the water surface elevation prediction using the HEC-RAS model: a case study of Moudjar River in the Northeast of Algeria

Hydrochemical evaluation of spring's water in Mila Wilaya, North-East Algeria

Abstract Springs are natural outflows of groundwater to the surface, enabling to understand the processes of their mineralization; contact with rocks modifies their chemical composition, a combination that is expressed in hydrochemical facies, which are classified into several types. Knowledge of the spatial distribution and chemical composition of spring waters is essential for a good understanding of the hydrodynamisms and hydrogeology of a given region. The mountains bordering the town of Mila are home to a number of groundwater springs, 25 of which are the subject of this study. They were sampled, then analysed at the ADE Mila (Algerian Water Company) laboratory in 2021, and their hydrochemical properties were determined. Geologically, the area hosting these springs belongs to the Tellian domain, the eastern segment of the Maghreb chain, which represents the alpine range of North Africa. Comparison of the water quality of these springs with Algerian and WHO (World Health Organization) drinkable standards has enabled most samples to be classified as soft or moderately hard water, with the dominant facies HCO3-–Ca2+–Mg2+ and Cl−–SO42-–Ca2+–Mg2+. In these waters, the main factors controlling hydrochemical composition are water–rock interactions, and rainwater contribution.

Polymetallic mineralization hosted in the Neogene sedimentary strata of the Algerian Tellian Range: A comprehensive overview

Purpose. In the electronics industry, stibium (Sb) is an important element used in the development of silicon-based devices. The metallogenic district of Guelma, known for its polymetallic antimony mineralization, is not currently exploited. The research purpose is to characterize the minerals and gang formations of antimony elements required as dopants during the growth of monocrystalline silicon. Methods. The research methods include detailed geological mapping and sampling, XRD mineralogical identification, XRF geo-chemical analysis, and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Findings. The results obtained prove that Sb mineralization is the youngest in the North-East of Algeria, since it is hosted in the dolomitized lacustrine limestone of the Mio-Plio-Quaternary. The mineralization has been deposited by the replacement and filling open spaces. A supergene alteration of the Nadorite mineral has led to the antimony sulfides appearance. Originality. Unique mineral species of the world have been identified: Nadorite in Jebel Nador, Flajolotite in Jebel Heimel, valentinite in Jebel Senza, senarmontite in Jebel Hammimat, and cervantite near Aïn Kerma. The Ham-man N’Baïls deposits still contain significant reserves of Zn, Sb, and Pb. Practical implications. With the help of this study, we have answered questions related to the origin of the mineralizing fluids responsible for the formation of deposits. In addition to the epigenetic nature of the mineralization with the formation of unique and rare minerals throughout the world, the presence of gold in this region has been proven by chemical analysis.

Feasibility study for the southern extension of Mila town (northeast of Algeria) for urbanization purposes: a geotechnical and hydrogeophysical approach

The population of Mila is increasing and local authorities are looking for new lands to develop the town and provide housing. However, the soil of these lands is unstable and requires detailed studies to serve as a foundation. This work presents the geotechnical and the geophysical characteristics of the Marechau soils, which forms the southeast extension of the Mila town. To provide an idea about the soil condition, to choose the type of adequate constructions and to make decision for building it, we adopted a geotechnical approach, where we analysed the soils by carrying out core drilling tests, dynamic penetration tests and the laboratory tests. We also, employed the geophysical approach in determining the electrical resistivity so as to map the depth of bedrock roof. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive hydrogeological study, monitoring precipitation and the piezometric level of the aquifer over a period of 200 days, and determined the flow direction. The core drilling test results indicate a clayey soil with limestone blocks. The dynamic penetration test show two categories of soil. The laboratory tests show that the materials analysed are very plastic, over-consolidated and medium to very compressible. They have a medium to high swelling potential and medium amount of aggressiveness to concrete. Besides, the tomography results also showed a single layer land (clay) with massive rocks embedded in it. The piezometric monitoring reveals the presence of two aquifer systems. The first is superficial and the second is deep. They don’t recharge directly after the rain falls and the groundwater flows in the direction of the slope. All the results indicate that solutions must be found for soil movements in the area under study before urbanization takes place. The combination of these results with the location, land morphology, tectonic activity, and seismotectonic aspects suggest that the area presents a high risk, and its urbanization requires rigorous and mandatory precautionary measures.

Hydrogeochemical evolution and mineralization origin in a semi-arid shallow aquifer: a case study of the Barika area in northeast Algeria

Most Middle Eastern and North African regions are characterized by an arid and semi-arid climate. As such, the drinking water supply and management have become a challenging task for local and regional authorities. The Mio-Plio Quaternary aquifer of the Barika area is the only drinking and irrigation water reservoir in the region. The objective of this paper is to identify the origin and evolution process of the groundwater mineralization of this aquifer using major elements as indicators. To achieve this objective water samples were collected, from several boreholes drilled in the aquifer, in June 2018 and March 2019, and subsequently analyzed. The results obtained in terms of Gibbs plot, Piper, chemical correlation, and statistical analysis of chemical data identified the origins of groundwater mineralization. The dissolution of evaporated minerals, precipitation of carbonates, evapotranspiration, and ion exchange reactions have been identified as the primary processes of mineralization. The results of the physicochemical analysis showed that these waters consisted mainly of chloride, calcium sulfate, and magnesium facies types with a slight change of facies in some boreholes during the two sampling periods. This is due to the interactions with the-aquifer geology and to the water scarcity caused by climate change.

Phytochemical Screening, Composition and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Algerian Chrysanthemum coronarium (L.) Extracts

The Algerian flora is rich in medicinal plants that are commonly used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases. The present study was designed to investigate phytochemical screening, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as the antioxidant properties of areal parts extracts from Chrysanthemum coronarium (L.) collected from Algiers region in the northeast of Algeria. The organic extracts of this plant were obtained by Soxhlet extraction using three different solvents, namely water, methanol and ethanol. The antioxidant capacity of areal parts extracts was measured using DPPH, ABTS and reducing power assays. The results of our preliminary phytochemical analysis of C. coronarium (L.) areal parts showed the presence of major known family compounds like phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, quinones, steroids, proteins, alkaloids, quinones triterpenoids, reducing compounds, starch and mucilage with absence of glycosides. The methanolic extract analysis showed a higher yield extraction and the determination of phenolic contents showed a significant value of 208.50 ± 0.25 mg GAE/mg of extract in comparison with the ethanolic extract (164.785 ± 0.04 mg GAE/mg of extract) and aqueous extract (132.642 ± 0.38 mg GAE/mg of extract). Also, the determination of the flavonoid contents revealed that the methanolic extract contained the highest value (23.46 ± 0.08 mg CE/mg of extract) in comparison with the ethanolic extract (21.86 ± 0.17 mg CE/mg of extract) and aqueous extract (12.63 ± 0.32 CE/mg of extract). Concerning the antioxidant properties, interesting values were attained for the methanolic extract which exhibited higher antioxidant activity, namely IC50 = 4.72 ± 0.06 mg/L and IC50 = 2.49 ± 0.01 mg/L for DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively, whereas a value of 2.43 ± 0.02 mg/L was obtained for the reducing power assay. The results achieved confirm the important role of this plant as a source of natural antioxidants.

Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains Isolated from Algerian Honeybee and Honey and Exploration of Their Potential Probiotic and Functional Features for Human Use.

Using culture enrichment methods, 100 strains of bacilli of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from honeybee Apis mellifera intermissa and fresh honey, collected from apiaries located in the north-east of Algeria. Amongst all of the isolated LAB, 19 selected strains were closely affiliated to four species-Fructobacillus fructosus (10), Apilactobacillus kunkeei (5), Lactobacillus kimbladii and/or Lactobacillus kullabergensis (4)-using phylogenetic and phenotypic approaches. The in vitro probiotic characteristics (simulated gastrointestinal fluids tolerance, autoaggregation and hydrophobicity abilities, antimicrobial activity and cholesterol reduction) and safety properties (hemolytic activity, antibiotic resistance and absence of biogenic amines) were evaluated. The results indicated that some strains showed promising potential probiotic properties. In addition, neither hemolytic activity nor biogenic amines were produced. The carbohydrate fermentation test (API 50 CHL) revealed that the strains could efficiently use a broad range of carbohydrates; additionally, four strains belonging to Apilactobacillus kunkeei and Fructobacillus fructosus were found to be exopolysaccharides (EPS) producers. This study demonstrates the honeybee Apis mellifera intermissa and one of her products as a reservoir for novel LAB with potential probiotic features, suggesting suitability for promoting host health.

A Comparative Analysis between the Phenolic Content, Key Enzyme Inhibitory Potential, and Cytotoxic Activity of Arum italicum Miller in Two Different Organs

The present study assessed two different plant parts (leaves and tubers) of Arum italicum species growing in Northeast Algeria for their phytochemical composition and pharmacological effects. The phytochemical content was determined using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and an electrospray mass spectrometer (UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). The results revealed that the tuber extract was rich in lignans with a fraxiresinol glycoside as the major compound. In contrast, the leaf extract was rich in flavonoid glycosides, described for the first time in the aerial part of this species. The extract’s inhibitory activity against key enzymes was linked to hyperglycemia, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase, and their ability to inhibit the growth of human gastric carcinoma (AGS) and lung carcinoma (A549) cancer cell lines was also assessed. A cell line morphology study was also conducted with the most effective extract. The chromatin status of the cells was evaluated using DAPI, while the cytoplasmic morphology was evaluated using phalloidin. The tuber extract generally inhibited α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes more efficiently than the leaf extract. Its inhibition effect against the α-glucosidase was significantly higher when compared to the standard acarbose. The tuber extract also caused more viability loss of AGS and A549 cancer cells than the leaf extract in the cytotoxicity assay. In conclusion, our findings show that, compared to the leaf extract, the tuber extract exhibited more pronounced biological effects. The strong inhibitory potential of the tuber extract against the α-glucosidase enzyme should also be highlighted, which suggests it is a good candidate for discovering new antidiabetic agents.