Estimation of Soil Contamination with Heavy Metals in the Streets of Al-Diwaniyah City in Al-Qadisiyah Governorate, Iraq

Abstract

This study aims to calculate the contamination levels of the elements (Pb, Cr, Ni and Cd) in soil samples taken from the Iraqi city of Al-Diwaniyah in the Al-Qadisiyah Governorate. Twenty samples of dust collected between the street and the sidewalk were collected for some areas of Al-Diwaniyah city, and then analyses were conducted to determine the concentrations of toxic and carcinogenic elements with the global determinants. The study’s findings revealed that there were very high concentrations of heavy metals compared to the internationally permissible limits, where the highest concentration of lead and chromium was in Main Street - Al-Asry District (112.6 ppm) and (115.1 ppm), respectively, and the lowest concentration of them was in Health Center Street - Al-Furat District (15.8 ppm) and (48.8 ppm), respectively, where the lowest lead value exceeded the internationally permitted limits and the lowest chromium value fell below the permissible limit. As for nickel and cadmium, the highest values of nickel and cadmium appeared in Main Street - Eastern Republican District which amounted to (135.2 ppm) and (2ppm), respectively, which is significantly greater than the internationally permissible limit, while the lowest values appeared in University Street - University District, which is (3.6 ppm) (0.05 ppm) respectively, which is less than the internationally permissible limit. It is noted from the results obtained that high rates of heavy metals concentrations in the soil samples of Al-Diwaniyah City indicate that the main factor in this rise is pollution caused by human activities, and the reason for this is due to the effect of vehicle launchers and some launchers of workshops and factories, as well as its presence in sand-laden dust of various sources. This rise might have an effect on the environment and human health at all of the selected sites.