University Of Tehran Press Pollution 2383-451X 2 1 2016 01 01 Contamination by trace elements of agricultural soils around Sidi Bou Othmane in abandoned mine tailings in Marrakech, Morocco 93 101 55882 10.7508/pj.2016.01.010 EN Barkouch Yassir Laboratoire de Toxicologie et d’hygiène Industrielle, 1 rue Gaston Veil, 44035, Nantes Cedex, France; Laboratoire Régional du diagnostic épidémiologique et d’hygiène du milieu, Avenue des hôpitaux, Marrakech, Maroc 0000-0003-0683-9141 El Fadili Sana Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Bd Moulay Abdellah Bp, 2390-40001, Marrakech, Maroc Pineau Alain Laboratoire de Toxicologie et d’hygiène Industrielle, 1 rue Gaston Veil, 44035, Nantes Cedex, France Journal Article 2015 08 07 This study was carried out for the purpose of investigating the issue of tailings dams as a potential source of contamination by trace elements in soils at the Sidi Bou Othmane mine in the Marrakech Region, Morocco. Soil samples taken from depths of up to 15 cm and within a radius of 50 m from the tailings dams, were analyzed for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn using atomic absorption spectrometry. Average concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soils around the abandoned tailings dams were, respectively, 157.2±8.8, 969.1±38.7, 1640.7±42.7 and 2846.8±84.6 mg/kg. Soils in the vicinity of the decommissioned tailings dams registered increased values for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. Contamination factors (CF) and pollution index (PI) were calculated in order to estimate the anthropogenic contribution of target pollutants which determined Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn as the main pollutants in this region. The results revealed the polluted areas in the vicinity of the mine, especially two rural communities apparently linked to the lack of appropriate measures to counteract the effects of these mine tailings, which were causing a progressive contamination of the soil with residues of heavy metal emissions in this region under study. Improved strategies for the management of tailings, among other factors, might have influenced the reduced level of contamination by trace elements at the abandoned mine tailings dam sites. https://jpoll.ut.ac.ir/article_55882_75126e8e706fb068d72340ba64370418.pdf