Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania)
In the Inchiri region of northern Mauritania, the discovery of new artisanal methods for extracting gold has made the town of Chami a strategic location for gold miners and their mining operations. Despite the importance of this activity in the country's economy, to the significant revenues it...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Polish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE)
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ecoeet.com/Environmental-Assessment-by-Metallic-Trace-Elements-of-Gold-Soils-Case-of-Chami-Dakhlet,168452,0,2.html |
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| author | Sidi Mohamed El Hadi Ahmed Hamoud Said Chakiri Hassan El Hadi Mohamed Salem Sabar El Houssein Abdeina Bouamar Baghdad Mohamed Amine Zerdadb Mohamed Vall |
| author_facet | Sidi Mohamed El Hadi Ahmed Hamoud Said Chakiri Hassan El Hadi Mohamed Salem Sabar El Houssein Abdeina Bouamar Baghdad Mohamed Amine Zerdadb Mohamed Vall |
| author_sort | Sidi Mohamed El Hadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the Inchiri region of northern Mauritania, the discovery of new artisanal methods for extracting gold has made the town of Chami a strategic location for gold miners and their mining operations. Despite the importance of this activity in the country's economy, to the significant revenues it provides, it is still likely to have a negative impact on the various environmental compartments. The objective of this study was to assess the environmental impact of trace metal elements (ETM) from gold panning in the soils of Chami area. For this purpose, forty soil samples were collected during a field mission in May 2022. The geochemical analyses of the ETM (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Ni and Zn) were carried out at the ALS laboratory in Dublin, using the inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP - AES) technique. The results show that the concentrations of ETM in soils differ according to the sampling station and the considered metal. These concentrations sometimes exceed the normal thresholds. The average value of the pollution index is higher than 1, revealing soil contamination by several elements (As, Cu, Hg and Pb). The geo-accumulation index varying between 0 and 4 shows a medium to high soil pollution class. The correlation matrix obtained shows positive correlations between the studied elements, which suggest that they have the same anthropic origin. These results show an accumulation of metals in soils that can persist in the environment, especially Hg, the most toxic element that is easy to diffuse and change speciation, in addition to being capable of causing risks to the environment and human health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:32:54Z |
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| id | doaj.art-639bdfdce9f448f4b2d8c83ca16c1a61 |
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| issn | 2719-7050 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:32:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Polish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-639bdfdce9f448f4b2d8c83ca16c1a612023-07-10T09:58:24ZengPolish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE)Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology2719-70502023-08-0124623924910.12912/27197050/168452168452Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania)Sidi Mohamed El Hadi0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8814-0493Ahmed Hamoud1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7537-8628Said Chakiri2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7781-1192Hassan El Hadi3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1041-3821Mohamed Salem Sabar4https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1097-5391El Houssein Abdeina5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0480-2284Bouamar Baghdad6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4174-8130Mohamed Amine Zerdadb7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2391-7984Mohamed Vall8https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5401-7214Department of Geology, University Ibn Tofail, Campus Universitaire, 14000, Kénitra, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, University of Nouakchott, Av Roi Faiçal, Nouakchott, MauritaniaDepartment of Geology, University Ibn Tofail, Campus Universitaire, 14000, Kénitra, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, University of Hassen II, Av Driss El Harti Sidi Othmane,20670, Casablanca, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, University of Nouakchott, Av Roi Faiçal, Nouakchott, MauritaniaDepartment of Geology, University of Nouakchott, Av Roi Faiçal, Nouakchott, MauritaniaDepartment of Natural Resources and Environment, Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Institute, Rue Allal Al Fassi Madinate Al Irfane 1010, Rabat, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, University Ibn Tofail, Campus Universitaire, 14000, Kénitra, MoroccoMinistry of Petroleu, Mining and Energies, Av de la plage Carrefour Hôpital Sabah, Nouakchott-Mauritanie, BP: 4921In the Inchiri region of northern Mauritania, the discovery of new artisanal methods for extracting gold has made the town of Chami a strategic location for gold miners and their mining operations. Despite the importance of this activity in the country's economy, to the significant revenues it provides, it is still likely to have a negative impact on the various environmental compartments. The objective of this study was to assess the environmental impact of trace metal elements (ETM) from gold panning in the soils of Chami area. For this purpose, forty soil samples were collected during a field mission in May 2022. The geochemical analyses of the ETM (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Ni and Zn) were carried out at the ALS laboratory in Dublin, using the inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP - AES) technique. The results show that the concentrations of ETM in soils differ according to the sampling station and the considered metal. These concentrations sometimes exceed the normal thresholds. The average value of the pollution index is higher than 1, revealing soil contamination by several elements (As, Cu, Hg and Pb). The geo-accumulation index varying between 0 and 4 shows a medium to high soil pollution class. The correlation matrix obtained shows positive correlations between the studied elements, which suggest that they have the same anthropic origin. These results show an accumulation of metals in soils that can persist in the environment, especially Hg, the most toxic element that is easy to diffuse and change speciation, in addition to being capable of causing risks to the environment and human health.http://www.ecoeet.com/Environmental-Assessment-by-Metallic-Trace-Elements-of-Gold-Soils-Case-of-Chami-Dakhlet,168452,0,2.htmlheavy metalssoilspollution assessmentmauritaniagold miningchami |
| spellingShingle | Sidi Mohamed El Hadi Ahmed Hamoud Said Chakiri Hassan El Hadi Mohamed Salem Sabar El Houssein Abdeina Bouamar Baghdad Mohamed Amine Zerdadb Mohamed Vall Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania) Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology heavy metals soils pollution assessment mauritania gold mining chami |
| title | Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania) |
| title_full | Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania) |
| title_fullStr | Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania) |
| title_short | Environmental Assessment by Metallic Trace Elements of Gold Soils – Case of Chami (Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Mauritania) |
| title_sort | environmental assessment by metallic trace elements of gold soils case of chami dakhlet nouadhibou mauritania |
| topic | heavy metals soils pollution assessment mauritania gold mining chami |
| url | http://www.ecoeet.com/Environmental-Assessment-by-Metallic-Trace-Elements-of-Gold-Soils-Case-of-Chami-Dakhlet,168452,0,2.html |
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