Assessment Of The Physico-Chemical And Bacteriological Quality Of The Surface Waters Of Wadis “Boukhmira, Meboudja And Seybouse” Used In Irrigation In The North-East Of Algeria

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Article Title: Assessment Of The Physico-Chemical And Bacteriological Quality Of The Surface Waters Of Wadis “Boukhmira, Meboudja And Seybouse” Used In Irrigation In The North-East Of Algeria
Authors: Youbi A., Houilia A., Soumati B., Berrebah H., Djebar M. R., Souiki L.
Affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Toxicology, Department of Biology, University of Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algeria, Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Development, Department of Biology, University of Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algeria, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry, University of Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algeria, Department of Biology, 8th May University 1945, Guelma, Algeria
Abstract: The use of surface waters of the Boukhmira, Meboudja and Seybouse wadis for agricultural purposes in the far north-east of Algeria is accompanied by health and environmental risks, the evaluation of which requires physicochemical and microbiological characterization. Bi-monthly samples were taken from February to December 2016 at the three studied sites. The results revealed that the waters studied are characterized by low levels of dissolved oxygen (2.90 ± 1.77 mg/l O2), high levels of suspended matter (TSS) (134.5 ± 17.22 mg/l), Nitrites (0.66 ± 0.25 mg / l) and Orthophosphates (6.54 ± 2.39 mg/l), high values in BOD5 (32.68 ± 11.04 mg/l O2), and in COD (95.74 ± 19.14 mg/l O2), as well as a microbiological pollution noticed by a heavy load of total germs, total coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci, which exceed widely the standards of use of waste water in agriculture. The application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) allowed us to evaluate the quality of wadis waters and to identify the main causes of degradation that are industrial, agricultural and domestic activities.
Keywords: water, irrigation, agriculture, pollution, PCA
*Correspondence: Amira Youbi, Laboratory of Cellular Toxicology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar University, Annaba, Algeria. Email: amirayoubi@outlook.fr