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First Assessment of Water Quality Impact from a New Landfill in Tangier, Morocco – Microbial and Metal Contamination
- Source :
- Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology, Vol 25, Iss 8, Pp 183-193 (2024)
- Publication Year :
- 2024
- Publisher :
- Polish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE), 2024.
-
Abstract
- This research provides the first assessment of the leachate impact on water sources near the newly installed Landfill and Recovery Center (LRC) in Tangier, Morocco, which has been operational since the beginning of 2021. The investigation involved the analysis of microbiological and chemical parameters in water samples from four community wells and five surface water sources in the M'harar and Tahaddart Wadis during the dry season. Chemical analysis focused on detecting heavy metals, which were quantified using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Microbiological analysis involved assessing the presence of Fecal Indicator Bacteria utilizing the membrane filtration method. The findings reveal alarmingly high levels of fecal bacteria and distinct spatial water quality patterns, with a notable gradient of bacteriological contamination in groundwater sources surrounding the LRC. The highest concentrations were noted at well P.1, located about 3.6 meters from the LRC, while at well P.4, located 1 km away, there is a regression in bacterial and metal concentration, suggesting leachate percolation, likely due to construction faults and inadequate waste management. The heavy metal concentrations remained below the World Health Organization's maximum acceptable values. Nevertheless, the overall results of the M'harar and Tahaddart Wadis waters show no leachate runoff. The study highlights the urgent need to improve the installation of proper leachate collection tanks and treatment systems as well as robust environmental monitoring, to protect the ecological integrity of the Biological and Ecological Interest Site (SIBE) of the Tahaddart region and safeguard public health. This study is limited by its focus on a specific geographic area and the timing of sampling, which restricted the groundwater analysis to only four wells. Future research should include sampling across different seasons and a broader range of wells to provide a more comprehensive understanding of water quality dynamics.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 27197050
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.5c6f6004c1284f2d92fb8972f510765a
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.12912/27197050/189632