ANALYSIS OF SEASONAL VARIATION ON DEGREE OF CONTAMINATION WITH HEAVY METALS IN AARJATE VILLAGE, MOROCCO. AN INDEX APPROACH

Abstract

Water samples from wells and samples from soil nearby them were taken during dry (June-September 2013) and wet (December 2013, January - February 2014) seasons and concentrations of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined. Contamination Factor for each heavy metal and Nemerow pollution index were calculated showing a decrease in contamination degree from summer to winter for soil and an increase in case of groundwater. Vertical transfer of pollutants from top soil to groundwater was assessed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, significant correlations between concentrations and composition of soil being found. In case of Ni, the variables corresponding to the concentrations from soil and groundwater were part of the same cluster, in both seasons, the distribution maps of concentrations confirming the pattern of transfer