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Assessment of sediment trace metal level and biological quality of Rhumel river by using multivariate analysis
Author(s) -
AfriMehennaoui FatimaZohra,
Sahli Leila,
Mehennaoui Smail
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
environmetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-095X
pISSN - 1180-4009
DOI - 10.1002/env.686
Subject(s) - benthic zone , sediment , trace metal , environmental science , tributary , environmental chemistry , fauna , water quality , biotic index , contamination , cadmium , hydrology (agriculture) , ecology , chemistry , geology , metal , biology , geography , organic chemistry , paleontology , cartography , geotechnical engineering
The aim of this article is to assess the level of trace metal contamination of sediment and to evaluate the environmental water quality based on the distribution of benthic organisms at stations along the Rhumel river and its principal tributary Boumerzoug river selected in urban areas (Constantine, Algeria). Fresh sediment samples and benthic organisms were collected from 10 sites on three occasions (December 2000, February 2001 and April 2001). Four trace metals—manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), chrome (Cr), and cadmium (Cd)—were measured in surface sediment and in the fauna using a flame or flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In addition, chemical water parameters, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity (EC) and sediment variables, pH, loss on ignition (LOI) and grain size were determined. The differences in species composition of the benthic community and the biotic index variation were used to reveal disturbance in watercourses. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the relationship between the sediment variables, water chemistry and distribution of benthic invertebrate communities. The results of PCA indicate that there are several significant correlations between trace metals which suggest their common origin (anthropogenic or natural sources). Besides, the PCA results suggest the following trend: the biotic index, communities' distribution of macroinvertebrates and dissolved oxygen were unconnected to from both sediment and fauna trace metals concentrations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.