Study of the levels of some heavy metals present in the cement dust of Al-Mergib factory

Abstract

In this study, the concentrations of heavy metals (lead, nickel, and copper) in the cement dust of a factory were estimated using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer technique. Three samples were taken from the factory chimney at different locations and times. The first sample revealed the highest concentration of elements during examination (on the upper part of the chimney) is lead (about 30.7 mg/l), nickel (6.9 mg/l), and copper (1.697 mg/l). The lead concentration decreased slightly in the second sample (mid-chimney), but it is still the most abundant element in this sample (30.1 mg/l). And in the third sample (below the chimney), the lead concentration decreased slightly (29.7 mg/l), then Cooper, and Nickel. All the metals studied were within the World Health Organization (WHO) limit nickel (200 mg/l) and copper (100 mg/l), except for lead (5 mg/l), higher than the permissible limit Keywords: Cement factory, Cement dust, Wet digestion, Heavy metals