AbstractThe distributions of heavy metals were measured in the bed sediments of the Lower Litani River Basin (LLRB). The main objectives of this study were to identify possible sources of metals (i.e. geological and/or anthropogenic) and then to investigate the effect of the seasonal variations in content of metals in the bed sediments. The heavy metal concentrations in the river sediments were remarkably high according to the permissible limits. The metal contents in bed sediment were highest during dry seasons. This was accomplished by applying the correlation coefficient analysis applied to total heavy metal contents as a tool for studying metal pollution in the LLRB and their origins. It was useful to distinguish between anthropogenic and natural sources

Awad, Sadek

Fakih, Mohamad

Hamieh, Tayssir

Haydar, Chaden

Koubaissy, Bachar

Nehme, Nada

Toufaily, Joumana

Villieras, Frederic

Elsevier - Publisher Connector 

The Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Lower River Basin, Lebanon 

  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
1875-3892 © 2014 Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license 
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of CSM8-ISM5  
doi: 10.1016/j.phpro.2014.07.066 
ScienceDirect
* Corresponding author. Tel.: 00-961-70-721-510; fax: 00-961-1-510-870. 
E-mail address: joumana.toufaily@ul.edu.lb 
 
Eighth International Conference on Material Sciences, CSM8-ISM5 
The distribution of heavy metals in the Lower River 
Basin, Lebanon 
Nada Nehme1,2,3, Chaden Haydar1,2,3, Bachar Koubaissy1, Mohamad Fakih1, Sadek Awad1 , Joumana 
Toufaily1,4*, Frederic Villieras3 and Tayssir Hamieh1,2 
1.Laboratory of Materials, Catalysis, Environment and Analytical Methods, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese 
University, Campus Rafic Hariri, Beyrouth, Lebanon.
2Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine, Lebanese University Dekwaneh, Beirut, Lebanon. 
3Laboratoires Environnement et Minéralurgie, LEM, Nancy, France, UMR7569 
4School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States 
of America.
Abstract 
The distributions of heavy metals were measured in the bed sediments of the Lower Litani River Basin 
(LLRB). The main objectives of this study were to identify possible sources of metals (i.e. geological 
and/or anthropogenic) and then to investigate the effect of the seasonal variations in content of metals in 
the bed sediments. The heavy metal concentrations in the river sediments were remarkably high according 
to the permissible limits. The metal contents in bed sediment were highest during dry seasons. This was 
accomplished by applying the correlation coefficient analysis applied to total heavy metal contents as a 
tool for studying metal pollution in the LLRB and their origins. It was useful to distinguish between 
anthropogenic and natural sources. 
 
© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. 
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of CSM8-ISM5 
 
Keyword: LLRB, heavy metals, sediment,seasons 
1. Introduction: 
Heavy metals are among the most common environmental pollutants, and their occurrence in water and 
sediments indicates the presence of natural or anthropogenic sources. The main natural sources of metals in 
waters are chemical weathering of minerals in rocks and soil leaching. The anthropogenic sources are 
© 2014 Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license 
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of CSM8-ISM5 
 Nada Nehme et al. /  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 457
associated mainly with industrial and domestic effluents, urbanism, water runoff, landfills sources and 
inputs rural areas [1] ,[2] ,[3]. 
The Litani River Basin (LRB) is the largest in Lebanon, of the country summing up to 2088 km2; hence 
20% of the total area of the Lebanese territory with a river system serving for irrigating some 77,000ha of 
current, ongoing and proposed schemes, as well as for tourism and domestic water. The basin 
encompasses a variety of climates ranging from costal subtropical to dry continental. 
Studies have shown no evidence of possible climatic evolution related climate change so far. From the 
environmental dimension, the LRB ecosystem suffers actually from severe stress both on its surface and 
underground water. Studies concur to conclude that quality of the Litani water system is on the borderline 
of being unusable and there is still room to reverse the pollution effects [4]. 
The LLRB extends from Qelia village, after the Qaraoun Lake, down to the Qasmieh outlet at the 
Mediterranean Sea north to Tyre. It encompasses eight district or administrative caza (Bekaa West, 
Marjeyoun, Nabatiyyeh, Saida, sour, Jezzine, Hasbaya, Bent Jbail; Figure 1) hosting a population of 
132924 capita living in 104 communities [5] 
 
 
Figure 1: The study area, and the selected sites, of the Lower Litani River Basin (LLRB).
 
The aim of the current study is to investigate the variations in heavy metal concentrations including, Iron 
(Fe), Cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), Plomb (Pb), Nickel (Ni) and Chrome (Cr), in surface water and bed 
sediments in LLRB in Lebanon. Furthermore, the role of pollution sources in the LLRBL on the bed 
sediment and the relationship with the season. 
 
2. Materials and methods 
 
2.1. The study area
 
For bed sediments sampling, six sampling sites were selected along the LLRB, as shown in Table 1, 
which describe the major activities. This was done during the rainy and dry seasons.These sites were 
selected because they receive considerable amounts of waste water from the surrounding industrial areas, 
as well as from intensively cultivated agricultural areas and domestic wastes from the surrounding towns 
and villages. 
458   Nada Nehme et al. /  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 
Table1. Location and description of the selected sites in LLRB
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.2. Bed sediment sampling, chemical and statistical analysis 
 
   Six water and bed sediment samples were collected once over three times before, during rainy, and 
dry seasons. For the water, six water samples were collected in a 1-l polyethylene bottles soaked 
overnight and 10% (v/v) nitric acid was used for water sampling collection. The samples were filtered by 
filtration system through membrane filter of pore size 0.45 ȝm before analyses using Standard Methods 
[6]. The method of sampling and collection are in accordance with Standard Methods APHA, AWWA, 
WPCF (1992).  
The Bed sediment samples were digested using microwave digestion techniques as reported by (Littlejohn 
et al., 99) in which 0.25 gm of each sample was placed in Teflon vessel with 5ml HNO365%), 2ml HF 
(40%) and 2ml H2O2  (30%) by using Microwave digestion system (model: milestone mls- 200 mega).  
(An aliquot of the filtration of the samples was taken, about 100 mL). Digestion solutions were measured for 
total heavy metals using ICP-OES [7]. The concentrations of (Fe, Cd,, Zn, Pb , Ni,  and Cr) were measured 
using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric method, (Spectrophotometer (RAYLEICH –MFX-210), 
with an air/acetylene flame and background correction and a deuterium lamp to remove solid impurities 
before testing (AOAC 974.27). Correlation coefficients were calculated between all pairs of the measured 
element concentrations. The results performed to reflect the degree of dispersion distribution of different 
metals Pearson’s correlation analysis were carried out by using SPSS16 2007, SPAD. 
 
3. Results and Discussionn 
3.1. Metals in bed sediment 
The analysis of heavy metals concentrations in sediment samples helps in the interpretation of water 
quality [8]. Resulted data from sediments can provide information on the impact of distant human activity 
on the wider ecosystem. 
The concentrations of the heavy metals in sediments in rainy and dry season were higher than the values 
recommended in ISQGs: Interim freshwater sediments quality guidelines as shown in Table 2. 
Variations in the contents of studied elements in the river bed sediment were observed to be as following, 
Fe -980 -30954 mg kg–1, Cd: 2-36 mg, ,Zn :2-224 mg kg–1, pb:0-136 mg kg–1, Ni: 4–24 mg kg–1, Cr: 2–
60. mg kg–1, respectively, in each time period (Table 2).  
The concentrations of Fe, Cd, Ni and Cr were higher in the dry season (Figure 2) than in the wet season 
probably due to the dilution by rainwater, which influences concentration and heavy metal mobility, 
Further more the mobility of heavy metals depends not only on the total concentrations in the soil and 
sediments, but also on the soil or sediment properties themselves, metal properties and environmental 
factors. 
Sampling site and symbols Major activities 
Qelia  (S1) Quarry site and Touristic zones pumping stations. 
Khardal i   (S2) Agriculture and touristic zone. 
Kaekaeyat eljisr      (S3) Touristic and agriculture zone small village 
Tair flsaiy   (S4) Touristic zone. 
Abou abdellah   (S5) Vegetated sites with citrus tree 
Qasmieh(S6) Road with high traffic density, irrigation canal and 
agricultural zone with banana. 
 Nada Nehme et al. /  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 459
Table 2: The element contents in bed sediment samples along LLRB (mg.kg–1, dry weight).: ISQGs: Interim 
freshwater sediment quality guidelines, No guideline available: *):  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RS: Rainy season, DS: dry season 
 
Table 3. shows that there are many heavy metals which are positively correlated together and this 
explained by their higher concentration in the sediment. Positive correlation coefficients are observed 
among the metals Fe, Cd, Cr,Ni and other elements, such as pb which have very low correlation.  
 
Table 3: Correlation coefficients for elements in the bed sediment during rainy and dry seasons
Elements Fe Cd Zn Pb Ni Cr 
Fe 1.00 
Cd 0.91 1.00 
Zn -0.55 -0.45 1.00 
Pb 0.16 0.15 0.41 1.00 
Ni 0.67 0.61 -0.13 0.43 1.00 
Cr 0.60 0.56 -0.25 0.62 0.81 1.00 
 
High positive correlation coefficient between Cd and Fe (r = 0.91); Cd and Ni (r = 0.67); Cr and Ni (r = 
0.81); Ni and Fe (r = 0.61) and this suggests that the cycling of these 4 metals is to extend linked and 
related to the adsorption of the heavy metals by iron oxides and hydroxides. Oxides can play a role in the 
retention of heavy metals and this explained by their origin from the same source (i.e. industry, urban 
origin and transport). The major source of Cd is the coal combustion, metal industry and waste 
incineration. 
The given elements, such as Cr, Cd and Ni have interacted with organic matter in the aqueous phase and 
settled resulting in a high concentration of these elements in the sediment [10], [11] . 
Negative correlation for Zn with Fe (r=-0.55), Cd (r=-0.45) suggests the metals do not have common 
sources, and this might be due to the variation in the sources these metals are bound weakly to the 
hydrous clay minerals on the sediment. 
Heavy 
metal Period S1 S2 S3            S4 S5 S6 
ISQG
mg.Kg-1
Fe RS 980 1636 1200 7000 12000 4800  
 
DS 980 15118 22398 10920 20040 30954 
20000 
Cd 
 
RS 2 10 10 10 10 10 
 
 
DS 2 14 32 22 34 36 
0.6 
Zn  
 
RS 80 224 200 60 60 40 
 
 
 
DS 80 54 2 26 12 68 
123 
Pb 
 
RS 14 88 100 20 100 100 
 
 
DR 14 0 22 0 40 136 
35 
Ni   
 
RS 4 4 4 4 4 4 
 
 
DR 4 4 4 10 6 24 
23 
Cr   
 
RS 2 10 10 10 20 40 
 
 
DR 2 10 10 28 20 60 
37.3 
460   Nada Nehme et al. /  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 
 
Figure 2a Comparison of the variation for Fe during rainy and dry seasons. 
 
 
Figure 2b Comparison of the variation for Cd during rainy and dry seasons. 
 Nada Nehme et al. /  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 461
Figure 2c Comparison of the variation for Zn during rainy and dry seasons. 
Figure 2d Comparison of the variation for Pb during rainy and dry seasons. 
462   Nada Nehme et al. /  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 
Figure 2e Comparison of the variation for Ni during rainy and dry seasons. 
Figure 2f Comparison of the variation for Cr during rainy and dry seasons. 
4. Conclusion: 
 
The heavy metal concentrations in the river sediments of LLRB were remarkably high, but varied among 
sampling points. The results suggest that a special attention must be given to the issue of re-mobilization, 
because a large portion of elements in sediments are likely to release back to the water column. However, 
 Nada Nehme et al. /  Physics Procedia  55 ( 2014 )  456 – 463 463
significant sediments pollution problems were found (in S6), which are the end point of the river all the 
pollutant are deposit in this site and we remarks a high degree of pollution during dry season..  
 
5.References 
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1992 
[2] Biney Biney C, Amuzu A.T, Calamari D, Kaba N, Mbome I.L, Naeve H, Ochumba P.B.O, Osibanjo O, 
Radegonde V, and Saad M.A.H. Review of pollution in the African aquatic environment, FAO, Rome;1994   
[3] Zarazua Zarazua G, Ávila-Pérez P., Tejeda S, Barcelo-Quintal I and Martínez T\, Analysis of total and dissolved 
heavy metals in surface water of a Mexican polluted river by Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry, 
Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, 2006 ;( 61) P1180-1184. 
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Suitability for multipurpose usage, Environ. Moni. Assess. 2002 ;77, P11–30. 
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[6] APHA American public health association ‘’APHA’’ Standard methods for the examination of water and 
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wastewater. Washington, D.C. USA, 1995;19th edn. 698 pp. 
[8] Heiny  J.S. ,Tate C.M. Concentrations, distributions and comparison of selected trace elements in bed sediment 
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[9] - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Consensus based sediment quality guidelines. Recommendations 
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[11]  Facetti, J., Dekov, V.M. & Grieken, R.V . Science of the Total Environment ,1998;209: 79–86. 
 
 
 


The distributions of heavy metals were measured in the bed sediments of the Lower Litani River Basin (LLRB). The main objectives of this study were to identify possible sources of metals (i.e. geological and/or anthropogenic) and then to investigate the effect of the seasonal variations in content of metals in the bed sediments. The heavy metal concentrations in the river sediments were remarkably high according to the permissible limits. The metal contents in bed sediment were highest during dry seasons. This was accomplished by applying the correlation coefficient analysis applied to total heavy metal contents as a tool for studying metal pollution in the LLRB and their origins. It was useful to distinguish between anthropogenic and natural sources

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The Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Lower River Basin, Lebanon

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The Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Lower River Basin, Lebanon

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