Assessment of heavy metal contamination in the subsurface sediment of the southern coastal zone of Sfax, Tunisia
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Assessment of heavy metal contamination in the subsurface sediment of the southern coastal zone of Sfax, Tunisia Fethi Cherif 1 & Rim Ben Hmid 1 & Ilhem Frikha 1 & Tarek Omar 2 & Mohamed Choura 1 Received: 25 April 2020 / Revised: 22 July 2020 / Accepted: 24 July 2020 # Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract This work aims to establish an environmental assessment of the subsurface sediment of the Southern Coast of Sfax in Tunisia based on the chemical characterization of leachates of samples taken from ten stations along the zone, in accordance with the French standard X31–211. Results indicated rates in metallic trace elements (Pb, Cu, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn, Fe and Hg) that exceeded the limits set by the Tunisian standard for environmental protection NT.106.002 concerning the discharge of effluents in the water environment. Findings prove the obvious contamination of the study zone due to the various polluting activities in its neighborhood. A more in-depth investigation program based on the results of this work can serve as a decision support tool for the implementation of an action plan and for the development of rehabilitation scenarios of the zone. The reclamation of the Southern coast of Sfax is necessary to reinforce the sustainability of the project of depollution and development of the northern coast of the city called Taparura that was realized in 2009. Keywords Chemical characterization . Leaching test . Depollution . Rehabilitation
Introduction Mainly installed on the coastal areas, industrial plantations have been identified as the main drive of economic growth and urban development. However, they have marked the urban landscape worldwide and led to environmental disasters. In addition, the coasts have witnessed wild and rapid urbanization that led to a dire ecological degradation around the world (Campagne et al. 2015; Sparrevik et al. 2011; Hill 2010; Feng et al. 2004). In addition to the depletion of natural resources, pollution due to these processes has affected the atmosphere, the sediment, the water table and the marine ecosystems (Sakan et al. 2015). Interestingly, the uncontrolled release of solid and liquid wastes has turned numerous coastal zones around the world into highly contaminated environments where the sediment and the water are heavily loaded with metallic trace elements (MTE) (El Nemr et al. 2016;
* Fethi Cherif [email protected] 1
Loboratory of Radio-analysis and Environment, National School of Engineers, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia
2
Company for the Studies and Development of the Northern Coast of the City of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
Feng et al. 2008; Qian et al. 2015; Bothner et al. 1998). These metals affect the living organisms including fauna and flora as they dissolve in the water or infiltrate into the sediment. The ultimate effect is witnessed in related health problems, the loss of tourist and leisure destinations, and the depletion of fisheries among other coastal activities (Stamatis et al. 2019; Sakan et al. 2015). Among the degraded ecosystems, the coastline of Sfax in Tunisia use
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