Study Of Water And Sediment Contamination In The Mekrou River

Abstract

Background Life on earth is possible thanks to certain vital resources, including water, which is essential for the sustainable socio-economic development of a country. Faced with anthropogenic pressures on this blue gold, it is necessary to have better monitoring of water resources. It is in this context that this work studied the level of contamination of the waters and sediments of the Mékrou River related to agricultural activities. The aim was to characterize the samples, assess the level of eutrophication of the waters and propose mitigation measures. Materials and Methods: Water and sediment samples were taken from 8 sites along the river for physico-chemical analyses. Results: The results of the analysis of these samples showed high contamination in conductivity, COD, BOD5, SO4 2- and suspended solids mainly in the village of Gorgoba and in the village of Sakabo. The conductivity varies between and 1662 μS/cm with a maximum value recorded at the level of the Tokoro village. The pH is relatively neutral, on the other hand, the nitrite and ammonium contents are negligible. Conclusion: This study inferred that the quality of the water and sediments of the river has been altered by anthropogenic activities and natural phenomena. Healthy agricultural actions are on the horizon