The Quality Stability Assessment of a Thermal Spring Used for Therapeutic Purposes
More details
Hide details
1
Laboratoire d’Amélioration des Productions Agricoles, Biotechnologie et Environnement (LAPABE), Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda 60000, Morocco
2
Centre de l’Oriental des Sciences et Technologies de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (COSTEE), Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda 60000, Morocco
3
Polyvalent Team in Research and Development, Department of Biology, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Faculté Polydisciplinaire, Beni Mellal, Morocco
Corresponding author
Mohamed Tirinsi
Laboratoire d’Amélioration des Productions Agricoles, Biotechnologie et Environnement (LAPABE), Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda 60000, Morocco
Ecol. Eng. Environ. Technol. 2024; 1:93-100
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Thermal waters have a global distribution and find extensive therapeutic use. In Morocco, which boasts more than twenty high-quality therapeutic thermal springs, few studies have focused on the quality of these waters. In this context, the present study evaluated the water quality using physicochemical, bacteriological, and radioactive parameters for BENKACHOUR thermal spring waters in Morocco. The results indicate that all chemicals, bacteriological, and radiological parameters are below the standards, except for global beta activity and temperature, which makes it hyperthermal, with an annual average temperature of 50.54 °C. Based on the Piper diagram, the water type is chloride-sodium-potassium. Based on these results, we conclude that thermalism in the Eastern region of Morocco, specifically BENKACHOUR in Oujda, can contribute to sustainable tourist development at the national and international levels due to the quality of the parameters analyzed and can be an effective complementary approach in the treatment of low-grade pathologies. The data from this study can serve as a baseline for assessing future changes and defining standards for the quality of hydrothermal baths and balneotherapy worldwide.