Environmental risk assessment of the Moroccan Atlantic continental shelf: The role of the industrial and urban area

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.098
• Publication Date: 2015-01-05T14:46:06Z
• Authors: Mohamed Maanan; Bendahhou Zourarah; Mohamed Sahabi; Mehdi Maanan; Pascal Le Roy; Khalid Mehdi; Fouad Salhi
• Keywords: [SDE] Environmental Sciences; Geologic Sediments; 550; Sediment quality; Atlantic shelf; Risk Assessment; 01 natural sciences; Metals, Heavy; 11. Sustainability; Industry; 14. Life underwater; Cities; Atlantic Ocean; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences; Environmental assessment; Anthropogenic input; 6. Clean water; Morocco; Heavy metals; 13. Climate action; [SDU.STU.ST]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Stratigraphy; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; [SDU.STU.ST] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Stratigraphy; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Environmental Monitoring

The present research presents the first large-scale analysis of heavy metal assessment in the Moroccan Atlantic shelf. This work provides scientific basis for future studies on environmental research and fills the gap in knowledge on the worldwide continental platforms. Metal distributions identified three different zones, mainly influenced by industrial and urban sewer (northern areas), agriculture runoffs (central zone), and estuarine discharges (southern areas), respectively. In the north part of the shelf, metal enrichments are observed near industrial and urban sewer mouths (Casablanca and Mohammedia cities). In the south and central areas, the probable absence of human impact on sediments is attributed to effective trapping in the estuary (Oum Er Rbia) and coastal zones, as well as dilution with less contaminated sediments and shelf sediments and removal with fine fractions due to estuary discharges.