Authors : Tedjar Lamri, Kaabeche Mohamed, Djirar Nacer, Bounechada Mustapha and Bouharathi Saddek
Abstract: The present study aims to analyze the physical and chemical characteristics including heavy metals from groundwater in the industrial zone of Ain El Kebira in the district of Setif (Algeria) during the years, 2007 and 2008. The pH ranged from 6.8-9, the temperature ranged from 19.5-21.4°C, turbidity ranged from 0.15-4.52 NTU, the hardness was estimated between 19.8-39 mg L-1. The conductivity was estimated at 581-1154 sec cm-1. Nitrate ranged from 16.8-69.82 mg L-1, nitrite 0.01-0.89 mg L-1. Chlorides ranged from 56.8-125 mg L-1. Heavy metals analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed that the concentrations of Fe were estimated between 0.315-1.388 mg L-1 that of Zn 0.02-0.558 mg L-1, Cd between 0.001-0.006 mg L-1 and Pb between 0.013 and 0.661 mg L-1. According to the results, the waters sampled were moderately hard. The pH, turbidity, temperature and chloride were within standards. Nitrates and nitrites station 3, 4.5 and 6 were the most affected because they are close to farmland and domestic discharges of residents. The levels of heavy metals in the samples show that Zn and Cd exhibited values acceptable by those cons of Pb and Fe were above the required standards. This groundwater must be monitored regularly to protect the health of residents who have only those wells for drinking water.
Tedjar Lamri, Kaabeche Mohamed, Djirar Nacer, Bounechada Mustapha and Bouharathi Saddek, 2011. Assessment of the Physicochemical Characteristics and Heavy Metals Level Groundwater at Setif High Plains (Algeria). Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 6: 475-479.