Wadi Bounamoussa’s waters quality in the north-east of Algeria: Statistical treatment of some physical and chemical parameters

Abstract

Nowadays, problems with wastes constitute a danger increasingly important for the recipient environments. Indeed, the water is affected in an increasing way by mineral and organic materials from which some ones are pathogenic and thus dangerous for the ecosystem. It is in this context that the present study took place, it relates to the surface waters pollution of the Wadi Bounamoussa in the Algeria northeast. The study concerns the analysis of physical and chemical parameters of waters such as: temperature (T), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Cl-, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total absorbance colour (TAC), total hardness (TH), PO4 3-, total phosphorus (Ptot) along the wadi in one year long survey (October 2013 to July 2014). Waters were sampled at ten study sites with a quarterly sampling. In order to establish a relationship between various physical and chemical parameters and for a better assessment the anthropogenic effect on the Wadi Bounamoussa's water quality, we have processed a statistical treatment by means of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). PCA has revealed two gradients. The first reflects the eutrophication caused by chemical fertilizers used in agriculture and the intensive livestock farming development, while the second describes the resulting water mineralization of high rates of the Cl- and EC. Moreover, PCA has allowed discriminating the stations according to their physical and chemical data. This study has allowed us also to reveal the influence of seasonal variations.

Keywords

• eutrophication
• mineralization
• physicochemical
• surface waters
• Wadi Bounamoussa