Chemical Speciation and Potential Mobility of Heavy Metals in Forest Soil Near Road Traffic in Hafir, Algeria.

Background: Different fractions of metals, of varying origin and reactivity, are present in sediments of forest soil. Forest ecosystems are privileged sites for the deposition of persistent organic pollutants carried by the atmosphere.

Objectives: The present study describes the current state of metallic contamination around the Hafir forest, located southwest of Tlemcen, Algeria, based on analysis of total sediment mineralization and the speciation of each metal to examine the effects of emissions due to road traffic.