Abstract

Human population exposure to a heavy metal contamination (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) from a mining site in Marrakech-Morocco

Author(s): Yassir Barkouch, A.Sedki, A.Pineau

In this work, the epidemiologic study showed that more than 63 % of the working population of this zone works in agriculture. This activity puts directly the population in contact with wastewater and the grounds dust enriched in certain trace elements contents, whose can pass in the human organism by cutaneous way or/and by inhalation. The impregnation of the studied population by the trace elements (particularly children of less than 10 years), is alarming. In addition to the direct contamination by food, these children are not safe from an additional (indirect) contamination by the smoke of the tobacco, their play activities inside and especially outside the habitats associated with a defective hygiene. The study also showed that the habits (use of kohl) play a very significant role in the increase of metal concentration in population, especially in women.