Title: Contamination levels assessment of heavy metals in road dust deposited in various types of urban traffic: a case study of Hassi Messaoud City (Algeria)

Authors: Mohammed Lamine Benhaddya; Mohammed Hadjel

Addresses: Laboratory of Science, Technology and Process Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry – LSTGP, University of Sciences and Technology Mohamed Boudiaf Oran – USTO-MB., BP 1505 El M'Naouer, 31000 Oran, Algeria; Scientific and Technical Research Centre for Arid Areas (C.R.S.T.R.A), BP 1682 RP, 07000, Biskra, Algeria ' Laboratory of Science, Technology and Process Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry – LSTGP, University of Sciences and Technology Mohamed Boudiaf Oran – USTO-MB., BP 1505 El M'Naouer, 31000 Oran, Algeria

Abstract: This study identified the levels and sources of heavy metal contamination in road dust from busy traffic areas in Hassi Messaoud, Algeria. A total of 13 sampling sites, including three traffic rotaries, two highways, three downtown areas, four circulation roads and one background area, were selected for this study. The contamination levels of the heavy metals in the road dust were evaluated using the contamination factor and the degree of contamination. The contamination levels of the heavy metals in the road dust were highly dependent on traffic volume and atmospheric dispersion from traffic rotaries. The varied contamination levels of heavy metals in the road dust from the downtown were highly dependent on traffic volume and the road environment. Vehicle speed was also a strong contributing factor to the degree of contamination of heavy metals in the road dust from the different types of roads.

Keywords: heavy metals; road dust; vehicle emissions; contamination levels; atmospheric dispersion; air pollution; air quality; Algeria; urban traffic; case study; vehicle speed.

DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2014.066796

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.11 No.3/4, pp.197 - 218

Received: 13 Nov 2013
Accepted: 11 Apr 2014
Published online: 14 Jan 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article