Comparative Study of Nutrient and Heavy Metal Behavior Along Oued Sebou
摘要
The surface waters of the Oued Sebou are subject to dissolved loads such as heavy metals and nutrients from various sources. These loads differ according to whether they enter the river from point or diffuse sources. Point-source pollution is the direct discharge of pollutants into watercourses. Diffuse pollutants come mainly from municipal or agricultural sources but cover a wide range of activities. These pollutants are transported by runoff and end up in rivers, streams, and lakes. This study aims to compare the behavior of nutrients and heavy metals along the Oued Sebou to identify their origins. To this end, we conducted a sampling campaign at 12 sampling points along the Sebou River. We concluded from the analysis of the various elements that nitrogenous elements are mainly derived from diffuse inputs while phosphorus comes from both point and diffuse sources. Heavy metals behave differently as they come from point sources.