Study on Assessing the Source of Thallium Contamination in Ground and Surface Waters in the Locality of Yamtenga (Burkina Faso): Correlation with Some Heavy Metal Ions

Kam; Corneille Bakouan; Inoussa Zongo; Guel

Oll� Rodrigue Kam Laboratoire de Chimie Mol�culaire et des Mat�riaux (LCMM)/�quipe Chimie Physique et �lectrochimie, Universit� Joseph KI-ZERBO, UFR�SEA, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Corneille Bakouan Laboratoire de Chimie Mol�culaire et des Mat�riaux (LCMM)/�quipe Chimie Physique et �lectrochimie, Universit� Joseph KI-ZERBO, UFR�SEA, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Inoussa Zongo Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST), Laboratoire des Technologies de l�environnement et des Produits Naturels, Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliqu�es et Technologies (IRSAT), 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Boubi� Guel Laboratoire de Chimie Mol�culaire et des Mat�riaux (LCMM)/�quipe Chimie Physique et �lectrochimie, Universit� Joseph KI-ZERBO, UFR�SEA, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.

Keywords: Thallium, mineralization, heavy metals, correlation

Abstract

Thallium (Tl) is a non-essential element for human being and is considered as a highly toxic trace element at a concentration above 2 g/L. To assess the source of thallium contamination in ground and surface waters in the locality of Yamtenga village (1143'35.1'' N and 0011'50.8'' W, Burkina Faso), chemical analyzes of thallium concentrations in the soils of Yamtenga village along with geological descriptions (geological map and hydrographic watershed map of the studied area) were undertaken. We found thallium concentrations in this area ranging from 1.61 mg / kg to 404.75 mg / kg. A zoned mineralization in thallium, due to the geological structure of the locality, was established in the soils, suggesting that the source of thallium contamination in ground and surface waters in the locality of Yamtenga village is of natural origin. The concentration of some heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu and Mn) were also evaluated in the soils of Yamtenga village and their concentration relationships with thallium were analyzed by the Pearson correlation coefficient based on matrix correlation. Moderate (0.554), low (0.408) and significant (0.999) correlations coefficients were obtained between thallium and lead, zinc, manganese respectively. Significant correlation coefficients (0.788 and 0.791) were also noted between thallium and copper, cadmium respectively. Thallium concentrations in ground and surface waters in this locality are mainly related to the interactions between water and source rocks, thallium being released following some alteration processes with other heavy metals elements especially manganese.