Experimental Approach for the Study of the Contamination and the Accumulation of Heavy Metals in the Cork Oak and the Stone Pine

This study aims to evaluate the pollution by Heavy Metals (HMs) of the stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) and cork oak (Quercus suber L.) in dry- and wet- season, motivated by the road traffic, at the level of the forest of Hafir located in Tlemcen (Algeria). The distribution and the migration of 9 HMs in the green leave and needles and the litter (viz.dead leaves) were studied, viz. Cd, Ni, Co, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Ag, in addition to five major elements, i.e. Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn. The HM -contents are measured by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS) after their dissolution according to several methods. The mineralization of HMs by the strong acids seems to be a good technique by comparing with other techniques, it reported the higher concentrations of metals which is more important for the dosage of the cadmium. This study allowed to understand that the quantities of HMs transported in the atmospheric releases, once deposited on the aerial parts of the leaves and the litter, their futures depend on the accumulative character of the plant, as well as for each metal, there is an adequate chemical extraction with a representative variation.