Distribution and Evaluation of Lead and Cadmium in Some Soils Surrounding East Baghdad Oil Field

Abstract

Soil acts as a last sink for elements that people release into the environment through a range of activities due to its physiochemical characteristics. These substances, whether are organic or mineral pollutants, accumulate in the soil and constitute a significant risk to the ecosystem in general because they mess with the chemical and physical equilibrium of the soil, get into the food chain, and eventually get to people. When pollutant concentrations during the bioaccumulated process exceed the global standards for what is regarded as a contaminant in water, air, and soil. Nine soil samples were collected from different sites and two samples from each site at two depths (0-20 and 20-40 cm) to determine if there were any differences in element concentrations at each depth near the East Baghdad oil field in Iraq in February 2022 and analyzed to determine the impacts of industrialization and pollutants related to urbanization. When the grain sizes of the soil samples were analysed, the predominated size fractions were Loam + Clay Loam. The trace elements analysis using atomic absorption spectrometry for the examined soil samples showed levels of Pb and Cd within the global average. The physicochemical characteristic of soil samples was examined. The pH of soil samples from the study area ranged from 7.24 to 7.87, with a mean value of 7.631, indicating that the soil is slightly alkaline.