Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Contribution of GIS techniques and pollution indices in the assessment of metal pollution in agricultural soils irrigated with wastewater: case of the Day River, Beni Mellal (Morocco)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Wastewater irrigation and intensive agricultural practices are two of the major sources of soil pollution throughout the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of metal pollution in ground samples collected in the city of Beni Mellal, Morocco due to wastewater in the Day River. We collected 35 samples of agricultural soils at a sampling depth of 0–30 cm. As a first step, all samples were analyzed to determine some of the physicochemical characteristics of the soil samples (organic matter [OM], clay mineralogy [CaCO3], pH, electrical conductivity, texture) and the levels of specific metallic elements (As, Cr, Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Fe). The results revealed that the analyzed soils had a clayey to silty-clay texture and alkaline pH; were rich in OM and carbonates; and had elevated levels of metallic elements (in mg/kg: As, 8.24; Cr, 77.77; Cu, 87.40; Cd, 4.89; Ni, 42.33; Pb, 109.66; Zn, 75.98; Fe: 26,248.18), all of which, with the exception of Ni, were higher than local background values. In addition, the concentrations of Pb and Cd considerably exceeded the limit values set by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. To comprehensively assess the degree of pollution, we calculated a wide range of pollution indices, such as the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factors (CF), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk assessment (RI), using geochemical background values. The results showed that the levels of contamination in the soils under investigation ranged from moderate to high levels, suggesting an anthropogenic source. Analysis of the spatial distribution of the heavy metals showed high concentrations in the center and upstream part of Day River, with concentrations gradually decreasing downstream with the flow of wastewater. Statistical analyses were carried out to identify the relationship between the presence of heavy metals in the soils and the possible sources using principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis methods and the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results of these analyses showed a significant and positive correlation between the presence of all heavy metals, indicating an identical or similar source, and also revealed that the contamination is related to the type of irrigation system, intensive agriculture practices, and soil properties (pH, OM, CaCO3). These results provide valuable geochemical data to support land-use managers, policy-makers, and environmental organizations in their efforts to monitor and decrease the accumulation of heavy metals in soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abubakr MI (2008) Combining multivariate analysis and geochemical approaches for assessing heavy metal levels in sediments from Sudanese harbors along the Red Sea coast. Microchem J 90:159–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2008.05.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Acosta JA, Faz A, Martínez-Martínez S, Arocena JM (2011) Enrichment of metals in soils subjected to different land uses in a typical Mediterranean environment (Murcia City, Southeast Spain). Appl Geochem 26:405–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) (1996) Qualité des sols. Recueil de normes Françaises. AFNOR, Paris

  • Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) (2003). AFNOR NF X31-107: Qualité du sol—Détermination de la distribution granulométrique des particules du sol—Méthode à la pipette. AFNOR, Paris

  • Alexander M (1995) How toxic are toxic chemicals in soil? Environ Sci Technol 29:2713–2717. https://doi.org/10.1021/es00011a003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anju M, Banerjee DK (2012) Multivariate statistical analysis of heavy metals in soils of a Pb–Zn mining areas, India. Environ Monit Assess 184:4191–4206. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2255-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Babula P, Adam V, Opatrilova R, Zehnalek J, Havel L, Kizek R (2008) Uncommon heavy metals, metalloids and their plant toxicity: a review. Environ Chem Lett 6:189–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Barakat A, El Baghdadi M, Rais J, Nadem S (2012) Assessment of heavy metal in surface sediments of Day River at Beni-Mellal region, Morocco. Res J Environ Earth Sci 4:797–806

    Google Scholar 

  • Barakat A, Ennaji W, El Jazouli A, Amediaz R, Touhami F (2017) Multivariate analysis and GIS-based soil suitability diagnosis for sustainable intensive agriculture in Beni-Moussa irrigated subperimeter (Tadla plain, Morocco). Model Earth Syst Environ 3(1):3

    Google Scholar 

  • Barakat A, Ennaji W, Krimissa S, Bouzaid M (2019a) Heavy metal contamination and ecological-health risk evaluation in peri-urban wastewater-irrigated soils of Beni-Mellal city (Morocco). Int J Environ Health Res 12:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Barakat A, Hilali A, El Baghdadi M, Touhami F (2019b) Assessment of shallow groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking purpose near the Béni-Mellal wastewater treatment lagoon (Morocco). Hum Ecol Risk Assess Int J 4:1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Bliefert C, Perraud R (2001) Chimie de l’environnement: air, eau, sols, dechets. De Boeck Diffusion, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouchaou L, Michelot JL, Qurtobi M, Zine N, Gaye CB, Aggarwal PK, Marah H, Zerouali A, Taleb H, Vengosh A (2009) Origin and residence time of groundwater in the Tadla basin (Morocco) using multiple isotopic and geochemical tools. J Hydrol 379(323):338

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowen H (1979) Environmental chemistry of elements. Academic Press

  • Bunce NJ (1993) Introduction to environmental chemistry. Wherz Publishing Ltd, Winnipeg, pp 341–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabrera F, Clemente L, Barrientos ED, Lopez R, Murillo JM (1999) Heavy metal pollution of soils affected by the Guadiamar toxic flood. Sci Total Environ 242:117–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaney RL (1988) Effective utilisation of sewage sludge on cropland in United States and toxicological considerations for land application. In: Land application of sewage sludge. Association for the Utilisation of Sewage Sludge, Tokyo, pp 77–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiroma TM, Ebewele RO, Hymore FK (2014) Comparative assessment of heavy metal levels in soil, vegetables and urban grey waste water used for irrigation in Yola and Kano. Int Refereed J Eng Sci 3(2):01–09

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen JB, Jensen DL, Christensen TH (1996) Effect of dissolved organic carbon on the mobility of cadmium, nickel and zinc in leachate polluted groundwater. Water Res 30(12):3037–3049

    Google Scholar 

  • Eimers M, Evans R, Welbourn PM (2002) Partitioning and bioaccumulation of cadmium in artificial sediment systems: application of a stable isotope tracer technique. Chemosphere 46(4):543–551

    Google Scholar 

  • El Baghdadi M, Jakani K, Barakat A, Bay Y (2011) Magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil of Tadla plain. J Mater Environ Sci 2:513–519

    Google Scholar 

  • El Baghdadi M, Barakat A, Sajieddine M, Nadem S (2012) Heavy metal pollution and soil magnetic susceptibility in urban soil of Beni Mellal City (Morocco). Environ Earth Sci 66:141–155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1215-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El Baghdadi M, Oumeskou H, Barakat A, Nadem S, Rais J (2015) Impact of solid waste dump of Beni-Mellal city on sediments and soil at Sabeq River. J Mater Environ Sci 6(11):3371–3381

    Google Scholar 

  • European Community (EC) (1986) Directive on the protection of the environment and in particular of soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture. Directive 86/27 6/EEC. Official Journal of the European Community, Brussels

  • El Hamzaoui E, El Baghdadi M, Oumenskou H, Aadraoui M, Hilali A (2020) Spatial repartition and contamination assessment of heavy metal in agricultural soils of Beni-Moussa. Modeling Earth Systems Environ, Tadla plain (Morocco). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-020-00756-3

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Esmaeili A, Moore F, Keshavarzi B, Jaafarzadeh N, Kermani M (2014) A geochemical survey of heavy metals in agricultural and background soils of the Isfahan industrial zone. Iran Catena 121:88–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Fei L, Xiao-Yu W, Fu-Qiang T (2011) Potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in the suburban farmland soil from Xinxiang city. J Henan Normal Univ (Nat Sci Ed) 5:025

    Google Scholar 

  • Giri S, Singh AK (2017) Human health risk assessment due to dietary intake of heavy metals through rice in the mining areas of singhbhum copper belt. India Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:14945–14956. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9039-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Godin P (1982) Source de contamination et enjeu. In: Seminaire “Elements traces et pollution des sols”, 4–5 May 1982, Paris, pp 3–12

  • Hakanson L (1980) An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach. Water Res 14:975–1001. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(80)90143-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harmanescu M, Alda LM, Bordean DM, Gogoasa I, Gergen I (2011) Heavy metals health risk assessment for population via consumption of vegetables grown in old mining area; a case study: Banat County. Romania Chem Cent J 6(1):64

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez L, Probsta A, Probsta JL, Ulrich E (2003) Heavy metal distribution in some French forest soils: evidence for atmospheric contamination. Sci Total Environ 312:195–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Hou D, Li F (2017) Complexities surrounding China's soil action plan. Land Degrad Dev 28(7):2315–2320

    Google Scholar 

  • Hou D, O’Connor D, Nathanail P, Tian L, Ma Y (2017) Integrated GIS and multivariate statistical analysis for regional scale assessment of heavy metal soil contamination: a critical review. Environ Pollut 231:1188–1200

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalil A, Selles F, Clarke JM (1994) Growth and cadmium accumulation in two durum wheat cultivars. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 25(15–16):2597–2611

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones-Lee A, Lee GF (2005) Role of iron chemistry in controlling the release of pollutants from resuspended sediments. Remediation 16(1):33–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A (2010) Trace elements of soils and plants, 4th edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Kao T, Mejahed K (2007) Bouzidi A (2007) Evaluation de la pollution metallique dans les sols agricoles irrigues par les eaux usees de la ville de Settat (Maroc). Bull Institute Sci Rabat Sci Vie 29:89–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Kholtei S (2002) Plaine de Berrechid : caracterisation des eaux usee de Settat; evaluation de leur impact sur la qualite des eaux souterraines et risque toxicologique. Thesis. University of Casablanca, Casablanca

  • Leung AO, Duzgoren-Aydin NS, Cheung K, Wong MH (2008) Heavy metals concentrations of surface dust from e-waste recycling and its human health implications in southeast China. Environ Sci Technol 42:2674–2680. https://doi.org/10.1021/es071873x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lévêque F, Gohier G (2006) Role of iron oxides in the retention of trace metal elements: example of the sediments of Marennes-d’Oléron. Cah Biol Mar 47(1):127–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu X, Wang L, Li LY, Lei K, Huang L, Kang D (2010) Multivariate statistical analysis of heavy metals in street dust of Baoji, NW China. J Hazard Mater 173:744–749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.02.026

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu A, Wang J, Qin X, Wang K, Han P, Zhang S (2012) Multivariate and geostatistical analyses of the spatial distribution and origin of heavy metals in the agricultural soils in Shunyi, Beijing, China. Sci Total Environ 425:66–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu X, Wu X, Wang Y, Chen H, Gao P, Fu Y (2014) Risk assessment of toxic metals in street dust from a medium-sized industrial city of China. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 106:154–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.04.022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazurek R, Kowalska J, Gąsiorek M, Zadrożny P, Józefowska A, Zaleski T, Ke˛pka W, Tymczuk M, Orłowska K (2016) Assessment of heavy metals contamination in surface layers of Roztocze National Park forest soils (SE Poland) by indices of pollution. Chemosphere 168:839–850

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehr MR, Keshavarzi B, Moore F, Sharifi R, Lahijanzadeh A, Kermani M (2017) Distribution, source identification and health risk assessment of soil heavy metals in urban areas of Isfahan province. Iran JAfES 132:16–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Mench MJ, Manceau A, Vangronsveld J, Clijsters H, Mocquot B (2000) Capacity of soil amendments in lowering the phytoavailability of sludgeborne zinc. Agronomie 20(4):383–397

  • Mireles A, Solis C, Andrade E, Lagunas-Solar M, Pina C, Flocchini RG (2004) Heavy metal accumulation in plants and soil irrigated with wastewater from Mexico City. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B 187–190:219–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohcine H, Saber N, Moustarhfer K (2016) Heavy metal in agricultural soils in the Sahel Region of Doukkala (Morocco). Int J Sci Eng Res 7(6)–June 2016

  • Moriyama K, Mori T, Arayashiki H, Saito H, Chino M (1989) The amount of heavy metals derived from domestic waste water. Water Sci Tech 57(1):829–837

    Google Scholar 

  • Muchuweti M, Birkett JW, Chinyanga E, Zvauya R, Scrimshaw MD, Lester JN (2006) Heavy metal content of vegetables irrigated with mixture of wastewater and sewage sludge in Zimbabwe: implications for human health. Agric Ecosyst Environ 112:41–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller G (1969) Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the Rhine river. GeoJournal 2:108–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Mutengu S, Hoko Z, Makoni F (2007) An assessment of the public health hazard potential of wastewater reuse for crop production. A case of Bulawayo City. Zimbabwe Phys Chem Earth 32:1195–1203

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayek S, Gupta S, Saha RN (2010) Metal accumulation and its effects in relation to biochemical response of vegetables irrigated with metal contaminated water and wastewater. J Hazard Mater 178:588–595

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliver H, André F, Gerry L (1999) Loss on ignition as a method for estimating organic and carbonate content in sediments: reproducibility and comparability of results. J Paleolimnol 25:101–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Ololade IA (2014) An assessment of heavy-metal contamination in soils within auto-mechanic workshops using enrichment and contamination factors with geoaccumulation indexes. J Environ Prot Ecol 5:970–982

    Google Scholar 

  • Oumenskou H, El Baghdadi M, Barakat A, Aquit M, Ennaji W, Karroum LA (2018) Aadraoui M (2018) Assessment of the heavy metal contamination using GIS-based approach and pollution indices in agricultural soils from Beni Amir irrigated perimeter, Tadla plain. Moroc Arab J Geosci 11:692

    Google Scholar 

  • Rattan RK, Datta SP, Chhonkar PK, Suribabu K, Singh AK (2005) Longterm impact of irrigation with sewage effluents on heavy metal content in soils, crops and groundwater—a case study. Agr Ecosyst Environ 109:310–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Salmanighabeshi S, Palomo-Marín MR, Bernalte E, Rueda-Holgado F, Miró-Rodríguez C, Fadic-Ruiz X, Vidal- Cortez V, Cereceda-Balic F, Pinilla-Gil E (2015) Long-term assessment of ecological risk from deposition of elemental pollutants in the vicinity of the industrial area of Puchuncaví-Ventanas, central Chile. Sci Total Environ 527:335–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santiago-Martín A, Valverde-Asenjo I, Quintana JR, Vázquez A, Lafuente AL, González-Huecas C (2014) Carbonate, organic and clay fractions determine metal bioavailability in periurban calcareous agricultural soils in the Mediterranean area. Geoderma 221:103–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi T, Liu H, Chen Y, Wang J, Wu G (2016) Estimation of arsenic in agricultural soils using hyperspectral vegetation indices of rice. J Hazard Mater 308:243–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Solis C, Andrade E, Mireles A, Reyes-Solis IE, Garcia-Calderon N, Lagunas-Solar MC, Pina CU, Flocchini RG (2005) Distribution of heavy metals in plants cultivated with wastewater irrigated soils during different periods of time. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B 241:351–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Szefer P, Szefer K, Glasby G, Pempkowiak J, Kaliszan R (1996) Heavy-metal pollution in surficial sediments from the Southern Baltic sea off Poland. J Environ Sci Health Part A 31:2723–2754

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor SR (1964) Trace element abundances and the chondritic earth model. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 28(12):1989–1998. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(64)90142-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Theissen G (1995) Eaux usees et maraichage. Attention aux metaux lourds et aux exigences sanitaires. Nouvelles économiques. Afr Agric 232:12

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomlinson D, Wilson J, Harris C, Jeffrey D (1980) Problems in the assessment of heavy-metal levels in estuaries and the formation of a pollution index. Helgoländer Meeresunters 33:566. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02414780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turhan Ş, Garad AM, Hançerlioğullari A, Kurnaz A, Gören E, Duran C, Karataşli M, Altikulaç A, Savaci G, Aydin A (2020) Ecological assessment of heavy metals in soil around a coal-fired thermal power plant in Turkey. Environ Earth Sci 79:134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8864-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (1989) Risk assessment guidance for superfund. Volume I: Human health evaluation manual (part A). https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/rags_a.pdf. Accessed 20 Mar 2019

  • Wang C, Liu S, Zhao Q, Deng L, Dong S (2012) Spatial variation and contamination assessment of heavy metals in sediments in the Manwan Reservoir, Lancang River. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 82:32–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2012.05.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2002) Principles and methods for the assessment of risk from essential trace elements. Environmental health criteria document no. 228. WHO, Geneva

  • Yaghoub M, Hassan H, Asghar T, Mehdi MA, Hossein M (2018) Assessment of metals in agricultural soil of surrounding areas of Urmia Lake, northwest Iran: a preliminary ecological risk assessment and source identification. Hum Ecol Risk Assess Internat J 24(8):2070–2087

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng J, Chen KH, Yan X, Chen SJ, Hu GC, Peng XW, Jg Y, Ma BX, Yang ZY (2013) Heavy metals in food, house dust, and water from an e-waste recycling area in South China and the potential risk to human health. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 96:205–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Y, Zhang Z, Zhao X, Lian J (2017) Accumulation and potential sources of heavy metals in the soils of the hetao irrigation district, inner Mongolia, China. Pedosphere. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(17)60306-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was conducted as part of a PhD thesis. We thank the reviewers for their comments which helped to improve the first version of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geo-Resources and Environment Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, University Sultan Moulay Slimane, B.P 523, Mghila, Beni-Mellal, Morocco

    Abdessamad Hilali, Mohamed El Baghdadi, Ahmed Barakat, Widad Ennaji & El Hassania El Hamzaoui

Authors
  1. Abdessamad Hilali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohamed El Baghdadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ahmed Barakat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Widad Ennaji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. El Hassania El Hamzaoui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abdessamad Hilali.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Communicated by Anthony Lehmann, Chief Editor.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hilali, A., El Baghdadi, M., Barakat, A. et al. Contribution of GIS techniques and pollution indices in the assessment of metal pollution in agricultural soils irrigated with wastewater: case of the Day River, Beni Mellal (Morocco). Euro-Mediterr J Environ Integr 5, 52 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-020-00186-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-020-00186-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation