Analyzing Soil Pollution: Heavy Metals in Setif City Region Using ICP-OES Technique

Résumé

Heavy metal contamination is a serious issue that poses a significant threat to soil environments and human health worldwide.The rapid population growth in developing countries, together with challenging economic conditions, has led to uncontrolled urbanization.These activities have become major sources of environmental pollution, affecting soil, water, and air quality.The objective of this study was to analyze the concentration of heavy metals in the soil of Setif City.To achieve this objective, 16 soil samples were collected using a regular 3 × 3 km grid across the region.Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to analyze these samples, and their pH , organic matter (OM), and limestone (CaCO 3 ) levels were also determined to assess their physical and chemical properties.Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), and Cadmium (Cd) were selected as representative heavy metals for the study.The sixteen diffractograms obtained from powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the presence of calcite and quartz, along with elements such as Cd, Zn, Cu, and Ni .The results indicate that the soils in Setif City are alkaline, with pH values ranging from 8.00 to 8.47.The average concentrations of Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cd were 407.06, 55.85, 32.21, and 0.16 mg kg -1 , respectively, in the sixteen soil samples collected from Setif City.When compared with international standards (e.g., AFNOR NF X31-101 and CEPA), Zn concentrations in several samples exceeded acceptable thresholds, indicating moderate to high levels of contamination in specific zones.This finding is supported by the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and contamination factor (Cf), both of which identified Zn as the main pollutant of concern.Contrary to the initial assumption of no contamination, the study reveals that localized Zn accumulation may pose potential environmental risks, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and site-specific remediation strategies

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