title: [Groundwater quality in an arid area of Morocco: impact of pollution on the biodiversity and relationships between crustaceans and bacteria of health interest].
abstract: In the north of Marrakesh (Morocco), the high anthropogenic activity and the permeable nature of the geological ground makes the water of Jbilet vulnerable to contamination. The results of physico-chemical analyses conducted in 2006 showed that two groups of wells could be distinguished. Groundwater of wells located on the right bank of the Tensift River, which are far from any source of pollution, is of fairly good quality, well oxygenated, at neutral pH and with rather weak levels of organic compounds. In contrast, in the other wells in the area of the landfill of the city of Marrakesh and those in the peri-urban area demonstrate deteriorated water quality. The nutriment and organic matter content is quite high. Results of bacteriological analyses of water showed a fairly high faecal contamination. In this area the soil is highly permeable and promotes infiltration of organic pollutants and minerals as well as of pathogen and opportunistic bacteria into groundwater. After their penetration, these microorganisms form films around grain particles. The movements of the stygofauna in the interstices allow bacteria to settle on their exoskeleton and seep into their gut, thus being a potential source of groundwater contamination. An analysis of bacterial flora showed that the rate of bacteria is high in the digestive tract of two crustacean species of the stygobites Typhlocirolana haouzensis and Metacrangonyx spinicaudatus, and that it depends on the species and the bacteria. Bacteria may be one of the potential nutritional resources for stygobites.
authors.affiliation: Equipe d'Hydrobiologie et d'Ecologie souterraine, Laboratoire d'Hydrobiologie, Ecotoxicologie et Assainissement, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech, 40 000, Maroc.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hallam
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yacoubi-Khebiza
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oufdou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boulanouar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria; D044822:Biodiversity; D003445:Crustacea / Q000382:microbiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D009018:Morocco; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D014876:Water Pollution; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical