title: Monitoring air pollution at Mohammedia (Morocco): Pb, Cd and Zn in the blood of pigeons (Columba livia).
abstract: The concentrations of Pb, Cd and Zn were investigated in the blood of pigeons (Columba livia) in order to assess the degree of pollution by heavy metal. For this, wild city pigeons were caught at four different locations in Mohammedia classified according to their industrial activity and road traffic density. Significant difference in heavy metal concentrations were observed between sites studied, the highest lead and cadmium levels were found in industrial area and center town, while the highest zinc level was found in the less contaminated area. These results indicate that the industrial activities and the road traffic are the most important source of pollution.
authors.affiliation: Département Génie des Procédés et Environnement, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques Mohammedia, Université Hassan II, B.P. 146, Mohammedia, Morocco. noufissakouddane@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kouddane
authors.affiliation: Département Génie des Procédés et Environnement, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques Mohammedia, Université Hassan II, B.P. 146, Mohammedia, Morocco.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mouhir
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ecotoxicologie, Institut Scientifique, Université Mohamed V, Agdal, B.P. 703, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fekhaoui
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie et d'Hygiène industrielle, Environnementale, et de Recherches Médicolégales, Institut National d'Hygiène, Ministère de la santé, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elabidi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie et d'Hygiène industrielle, Environnementale, et de Recherches Médicolégales, Institut National d'Hygiène, Ministère de la santé, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benaakame
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood; D010856:Columbidae / Q000097:blood*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood*; D009018:Morocco; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Blood; Heavy metals; Mohammedia; Pigeon; Pollution