Geochemical Modeling and Quality Assessment of the Surface Waters from the Mouhoun River System, Burkina Faso: Implications of Water–Rock Interactions and Anthropogenic Activities

Major ion and heavy metal geochemistry was used to investigate the factors that control the Mouhoun River water quality in western Burkina Faso. Major cation concentrations was in the following decreasing order: Ca2+> Na+> K+> Mg2+, reflecting silicate weathering. However, relatively high HCO3- and SO42- concentrations could be related to dissolution of calcite and sulfide minerals, respectively. The average heavy metal concentrations in the riverine system were in the following order: FeT>Ag>Mn>Zn>Pb>Cu>Ni>AsT>Cr>Hg>Co>Cd with FeT and Ag exceeding the World Health Organization permissible limits. Concentrations of all heavy metals, except Cr, were higher in the Mouhoun system compared to the average world river concentrations. Adsorption and speciation models showed that Zn, Ag, Cd, Co, Cr and Ni are likely to remain in their free ionic forms, and thus posing serious threats to aquatic life and human health. Ag-Hg-Ni-Cd association around Poura and Tenado on the principal component plot suggested that the widespread artisanal gold mining in these areas may have contributed to these metals’ loading. In contrast, NH4+, Pb, Cu, Cr, AsT and Zn were clustered around a densely populated and industrialized Kou watershed, pointing to agricultural and industrial sources of these pollutants. Furthermore, the Kou River had the highest metal index followed by Tenado, Samendeni, Poura and Boromo. Hence, the chemistry of the Mouhoun River and its tributary appears to be mainly controlled by population density and various anthropogenic activities taking place in their drainage basins. The findings could provide avenues for sound and sustainable water resource management in a water scarce semi-arid environment.