Biochemical Approach to Assess Groundwater Pollution by Petroleum Hydrocarbons (Case Skikda Algeria)

doi:10.4236/jwarp.2012.47057

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Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 2012, 4, 493-496

http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2012.47057 Published Online July 2012 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/jwarp)

Biochemical Approach to Assess Groundwater Pollution

by Petroleum Hydrocarbons (Case Skikda Algeria)

Sofiane Labar1, Azzedine Hani2, Larbi Djabri2

1Institute of Sciences of Nature and Life, University of El-Tarf, El-Tarf, Algeria

2Department of Geology, University of Annaba, Annaba, Algeria

Email: [email protected]

Received February 3, 2012; revised March 10, 2012; accepted April 16, 2012

ABSTRACT

Due to the accelerated population growth and development in all sectors especially industry, more water has been

pumped and more effluents have been rejected to the natural system. In the coastal Skikda Valley; Petrochemical indus-

try is practiced along the year and almost groundwater are threatened. This work is referred to the characterization of

the environmental hydrobiochemistry in the coastal petrochemical industrial area. The study has investigated the

groundwater pollution by hydrocarbons using biochemical approach and assessing the nature and extent of contamina-

tion of groundwater in relation to petroleum industrial activities surrounding tank, channel and pipe. At site of this in-

dustrial zone, groundwater circulates on slight deep in the mio-pliocene alluviums (sand and gravel) which is character-

ized by an important permeability. Groundwater quality analysis proved that groundwater quality is largely polluted

with respect to BOD5, COD, TPH and TSS. So, a narrow relationship between BOD and TPH and important qualitative

degradation of the groundwater is shown, especially in the parts situated in the down gradient area and in direct prox-

imity of tank, channel and pipe. The extent of groundwater contamination is influencing by the depth of the water table,

permeability of the soil and therefore infiltratio n rate. In order to prevent further pollu tion of groundwater, o il must be

stored and transported via impervious tank, pipe and channel. So, effluents must be treated prior to discharge.

Keywords: Groundwater; TPH; Biochemical Parameters; BOD5; Algeria

1. Introduction

Groundwater is one of the most precious natural re-

sources in the north east of Algeria as it is the principal

source of drinking water for the majority of the popula-

tion. The groundwater aquifer of Skikda region is ex-

tremely susceptible to surface-derived contamination be-

cause of the high permeability of sands and gravels that

compose the soil profile of East Skikda region [1-3]. Se-

veral studies in Skikda region reported various degrada-

tions levels of groundwater as one of the major concerns

among the public and governmental decision makers

[1-4], but these studies did not include a biochemical

approach to evaluate groundwater contamination.

Skikda city is located in the northeast of Algeria and

occupies an area of around 4138 km2. The population has

increased greatly to some 800,000 inhabitants. The de-

mographical development and the intensification of the

economic industrial activities in Skikda have been ac-

companied by an increase in demand for water. There are

about 135 groundwater wells in the Skikda region and

the amount of groundwater abstracted from these wells

has been estimated to be about 52 hm3 per year with 12

hm3 per year being abstracted from the industrial zone.

Such large industrial demands on groundwater have

caused water quality and the contamination of ground-

water in this coastal zone to become an extremely im-

portant issue for industrial groundwater supply. Ground-

water contamination should be largely dependent on pe-

troleum industrial waste and effluents of channel, tank

and or pipe. This study was designed to elucidate the hy-

drobiochemical characteristics and the contamination of

groundwater by hydrocarbons by using a biochemical

approach according to industrialization and land use pat-

terns.

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. In

Section 2 we present an overview of the general charac-

teristics of the study site. Section 3 presents materiel and

methods and how biohemical approach is used. Related

work and results is discussed in Section 4, and finally,

the paper is conclud ed with an outlook on future work in

Section 5.

2. Site Characteristics

The study of the vulnerability of groundwater to pollu-

tion using natural characteristics by means of the

DRASTIC method [5] has sho wn that our area is located

S. LABAR ET AL.

494

in the zone of moderate to high vulnerability. The cli-

mate is of humid type with an annual rainfall of 733 mm,

a mean annual temperature of 18˚C and the prevailing

winds direction is from the industrial towards the resi-

dential part of the city. The total infiltration in the allu-

vial water-table of Skikda is around 33% of the total

rainfall, approximat ely 240 mm per year infiltrates t hrough

soil to the water table. The studied zone, which is a part

of northeast Algerian coast, is formed by a Paleozoic

substratum overlaid by Mesozoic and mio-plioquaternary

continental and lagoonal sediments. The aquifer system

is characterized by a superficial table (alluviums “15 m

of thickness”) and a captiv e table which is fundamentally

constituted by gravels (gravel table, “10 - 40 m of thick-

ness”).

3. Material and Methods

Many monthly surveys of the piezometric level and geo-

chemical analysis have been monitored on dry and wet

period. The analyses are carried out on network of 19

piezometers (one to two wells per km2) surrounding tank ,

channel and pipe. Three samples of industrial effluents

were sampled from a drainage channel within the Indus-

trial zone. The temperature (T), pH and electrical con-

ductivity (EC) were measured in situ using a handheld

meter (WTW Multiline P3 PH/LF-SET, CellOx 325).

The concentration of chloride (Cl–), carbonates (3

HCO



)

and sulfates (4) were measured using the volumetric

method [6]. The total suspended solids (TSS) was deter-

mined by filtration through a standard GF/F glass fiber

filter (NF EN 872). The chemical o xyg en demand (COD)

was measured by COD meter (Tract 42 mm RIN 29/32

and refrigerant RIN 29/32). The biochemical oxygen

demand (BOD5) was measured by intelligent system

BOD meter (W TW DIN 38 4 09). Th e pho sph a te (

SO 



Nitrate (3), Nitrite (2), and ammonium (4

NONONH



)

were analyzed by colorimetery method using spectro-

photometer (Spectronic 20 D). The total petroleum hy-

drocarbons (TPH) was measured and calculated by in-

frared (IR) determination. The piezometric level map

was grided by the golden Software Surfer (Version 9.8),

using the Kriging method.

4. Results and Discussion

4.1. Piezometric Level Study

The groundwater table (Figure 1) is characterized by

shallow depths (generally inferior to 7 m with a mini-

mum of 0.8 m). These depths were observed down the

gradient of the drainage channel and in the coastal zone.

The over flow direction of the aquifer was SW-NE. The

presence of shallow depth piezometric level within the

coastal area indicates a seawater intrusion in the Indus-

trial zone. However, this potential source of pollution has

Figure 1. Piezometric level map (m).

been stimulated by effluent of seawater pumped to chill

hot industrial equipments [3].

So, the conductivity in the source of the effluent of

seawater pumped is about 22 ms/cm and 8 ms/cm in the

drainage channel (average 4 ms/cm in all effluent points,

Table 1) but in the groun dwater at the same area is about

2 ms /cm.

4.2. Chemical Composition of Effluents

The effluents originating from industrial factories are

highly concentrated (Table 1) with copper sulfate (938

mg/l), nitrates (24 mg/l) and phosphates (9 mg/l). These

high values of nitrates and phosphates explain the eutro-

phication of ground water in this petroleum industrial

area.

4.3. Characterization of Pollution

The pollution of groundwater by organics was characte-

rized by high values of total hydrocarbons (Figures 2, 3

and 4) above limit suggested by the World health Or-

ganization (0.001 mg/l) [7] on all most throughout the

year [3] near tank, channel and pipe (Figures 3 and 4).

The biochemical pollution identified by biochemical

parameters [8] (BOD5, COD, TSS) has shown for a dry

and a wet periods above target value by a high concen-

tration of BOD and COD for all effluent and groundwa-

ter points (Figures 2, 3 and 4). Some rivers (Kebir-Est,

Bounamoussa and Seybousse) of El-Tarf nearest region

have shown the same case of pollution by organics [9]

but without petroleum hydrocarbons because the specific

agricultural activities in this site.

S. LABAR ET AL.

JWARP

495

Table 1. Basic statistics of chemical parameters of water effluent samples (2010-2011).

PH EC µs/cm Cl– mg/l 2



mg/l

OHC



mg/l

NO

NH3

mg/l



mg/l



mg/l

Min 6.83 962 102 96 281 28 0 1 0.5

Max 7.65 9729 1799 2450 1244 37 0.26 44 21

Average 7.173 3915.333 739.303 888.637 605.324 33.304 0.109 15.701 7.819

Dry

period

(2010)

St. Dev. 0.426 5034.998 923.795 1351.897 552.843 5.130 0.135 24.671 11.8

Min 7.45 883 68 74 272 19 0 0.8 2

Max 8.35 8930 1642 2235 1156 30 0.24 40 20

Average 7.827 3593.667 598.701 802.269 570.005 25.436 0.1 14.125 7.322

Wet

period

(2011)

St. Dev. 0.27 2668.279 903.984 1240.898 507.45 1 5.632 0.124 22.646 10.630

Figure 2. Spatial evolution of biochemical pollution (BOD5,

COD and TSS). Figure 4. Spatial evolution of pollution and relationship

between biochemical parameters and TPH on a wet period

(High level of groundw ater ).

the parts situated in the down gradient area and in direct

proximity of tank, channel and pipe.

5. Conclusions

Our hydrobiochemical study by using a biochemical

approach to identify water pollution by hydrocarbons

shows that groundwater in the vicinity of petroleum in-

dustrial effluents are characterized by high level of bio-

chemical and organically pollution especially due to its

locations near tank pipe and drainage channel.

The biochemical approach especially with biochemical

oxygen demand (BOD5) presents good results for asse-

ssing groundwater contamination by hydrocarbons (crude

oil).

Figure 3. Spatial evolution of pollution and relationship

between biochemical parameters and TPH on a dry period

(Low level of groundwater ).

Certainly exposure to crude petroleum (crude oil), or

its complex chemical constituents, can cau se to xic effects

in humans, livestock and other animal species [10].

Figure 3 shows that the quality of groundwater on a

dry period is characterized by high effects of tank, chan-

nel and pipe. To prevent further deterioration of groundwater qua-

lity a number of measures are recommended, namely:

Figure 4 shows that the quality of groundwater on a

wet period is characterized by high effects of tank and

pipe. So, a moderate effect by channel because of dilu-

tion by precipitat i o n.

 To establish an appropriate system for the collection,

treatment and discharge of effluents;

 Introduce impermeable surfaces in the tank, the drain-

age channels and pipe e.g. using clay or high density

polyethylene geomembrane or other suitable structure

Figures 3 and 4 both show clearly a narrow relation-

ship between BOD and TPH and important qualitative

degradation of the groundwater is shown, especially in

S. LABAR ET AL.

496

and equipment;

 To monitor groundwater quality carefully across a

network of representative wells over an extended time

period.

Although crude oils from various geological areas are

known to cause various biochemical and cytological alte-

rations in animal species [11].

Biochemical changes in cytochrome P-450 (CYP)

isoforms and associated polysubstrate monooxygenase

(PSMO) activities in animals exposed to various lipo-

philic substances are reported to be valuable biomarkers

of early-stage systemic events [12].

It’s important to study the systemic effects of low

doses of an ACO on selected PSMO activities and the

distribution of biomarker chemicals (hydrocarbons) to

adipose tissues in animals like rats [13].

6. Acknowledgements

We are grateful to director of Skikda environmental di-

rection and the staff of the health, security and environ-

ment (HSE) department of the company of management

of the industrial zone of Skikda “EGZIK”. The ground

and field works have conducted in collaboration with

them.

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