Study of pollution in the El Jadida-Safi Atlantic coastal zone (Morocco) by using PIXE and SSNTD methods

TL;DR

This study assesses pollution levels in Morocco's El Jadida-Safi coastal zone by analyzing soil and liquid samples for elemental and radioactive contamination using PIXE and SSNTD techniques, highlighting industry waste impacts.

Contribution

It introduces combined PIXE and SSNTD methods to evaluate both elemental and radioactive pollution in coastal soils and waters, focusing on phosphate industry waste influence.

Findings

Detected elevated heavy metal concentrations in polluted soils.

Identified increased uranium and thorium levels linked to industry waste.

Highlighted the environmental impact of phosphate industry effluents.

Abstract

In this work PIXE experiments were performed for measuring heavy and light elements (ranging from aluminium to lead) concentrations inside various polluted and unpolluted soils as well as liquid samples collected from different phosphate factory sewers in the El Jadida-Safi Atlantic coastal region (Morocco). In addition, uranium (238U) and thorium (232Th) contents were evaluated in the same samples studied by using CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The influence of the phosphate industry wastes on the concentrations of both radioactive and non-radioactive elements of the samples studied was investigated.