Evaluation of the Degree of Pollution in Trace Metal Elements (TME) of the Dam in the Rural Commune of Korsimoro, Burkina Faso

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of pollution in trace metal elements from the dam in the rural commune of Korsimoro. Thus, nine (9) water samples were taken at different points of the dam and analyzed at the laboratory of the Bureau of Mines and Geology of Burkina (BU.MI.GE.B). A total of eight (8) metallic trace elements including As, Cr, Mo, Mn, Hg, Pb, Se and Ni were characterized and quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP/OES). The results reveal that if the contents of certain elements are low in certain samples, others on the other hand have sometimes very high contents of Hg and Se. For Hg, concentrations range from an average of 25.74 µg/kg to a maximum of 148.91 µg/kg against a threshold of 1 µg/kg recommended for water intended for irrigation. As for Se, its concentration ranges from an average of 14.67 µg/kg to a maximum of 37.01 µg/kg against a standard of 20 µg/kg for irrigation. Thus, the high concentrations of Hg and Se in the waters of the Korsimoro dam constitute a public health problem since they strongly contribute to the contamination of market garden products via the soil. Also, the animals which drink there as well as the resources fish (fish, shellfish, etc.) could be contaminated. And, by bioaccumulation and/or by biomagnification, humans at the end of the food chain can in turn be severely contaminated. Thus, it is imperative to find a solution, especially on the Hg pollution of the dam when we know that it constitutes a real public health problem with its excessively high content.