Metal concentrations and metal mobility in ait ammar moroccan mining site

To aid in evaluating the environmental impacts of a mining activities in the oued zem region,morocco,pedological characteristics of mining site were examined to assess the risks of metals mobility. after appropriate preparation,the concentrations of metals (cd,cr,cu,fe,pb and zn) and p in 21 soil samples collected around a former iron mine in the oued zem region were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (icp-aes). the results showed very high levels: fe (43.55 104 mg kg-1),p (0.92 104 mg kg-1),cr (222.16 mg kg-1) and zn (153.3 mg kg-1),a relatively high ph (phkcl = 6.13,phwater = 7.41),high organic carbon content (2.93 %),a low nitrogen level (0.06 %) and,thus,a high c/n ratio. according to principal components analysis (pca),three distinct factors explaining 71.267% of the variance were showed. a first factor including metals (zn,cr,fe and cu) and p with a positive loading,total kjeldahl nitrogen,organic matter and soil ph combined for the second component and the third factor characterizing cd with a positive loading and pb with a negative loading.