Geochemical Variation and Environmental Assessment of Uranium in the Soil Profile and Ground Water for Kirkuk City/ Northern Iraq

Abstract

The present study includes determination the concentration of uranium in the soil profile and groundwater and it's behavior, distribution, source and emitted as well as the environmental assessment. Thirty sample of the soil were collected about (15) sample for the first depth (QA) and (15) sample for the second depth (QB), in addition to (7) sample for ground water (GW). Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) technology has been used to measure the concentration of Uranium and other elements in these environments by laboratories of Acme company in Canada. The results showed that the average of uranium concentration in the first depth of soil (QA) was (1.672 ppm), and the second depth (QB) was (1.373 ppm), with increasing in surface depth more than the sub surface. The results showed that the average concentration of uranium in the groundwater was (4.256 ppb), and its concentration is less than the permitted values average of ground water (30 ppb). The environmental assessment study of uranium showed that the values of (Igeo) for soil sample occurs within the type uncontaminated to moderately contaminated, and the (CF) is classified as low contamination, while (EF) is reached within type deficiently to minimal enrichment. Size fraction for soil samples showed that the highest uranium concentration occurs in the clay fraction more than silt and sand fractions, respectively.