Metallic contamination of the occidental Mediterranean coasts of Morocco (coastal fringe “Kabila - Oued Laou”), using Callista chione

Abstract

In order to study the metallic contamination of the western Mediterranean coasts of Morocco, bivalve samples (Callista chione) were collected during the pluvial period from five sites (Kabila, Cabo Negro, Oued Malleh, Oued Laou and Oued Laou River's mouth) and were analyzed for 6 elements (Zn, Ni, Cu, Pb, Cr and Cd) by ACP-AES. The average of metallic concentrations found (62.52 mg/kg for Zn, 16.23 mg/kg for Ni, 5.57 mg/kg for Cu, 2.21 mg/kg for Pb, 1.50 mg/kg for Cr and 0.28 mg/kg for Cd) are far away from being considered as negligible even though industrial and harbor activities are less developed in this region compared to industrial countries. The concentrations show significant spatial variations. It seems that these variations are related to urban dismissals from close agglomerations and from the washing of the geological formations of the back-country.