Survey of Some Heavy Metals and Radioactivity in the Dust in A Selected Area in Kirkuk Governorate- Northern Iraq

Abstract

Air pollution means the release of pollutants into the atmosphere, which are harmful to human health and the planet as a whole. Almost all air pollutants come from production and energy use. In the present work, an assessment of some heavy metals, natural radioactivity and the quantity of dust fallen in three sites (Tessen, Rahemawa, and Laylan) in Kirkuk Governorate, northern Iraq. Three dust samples were collected from three locations (residential, commercial and industrial areas). The collected samples were analyzed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and radioactivity (Gamma rays). The studied heavy metals (Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn) exceeded their limits in the atmosphere due to the increase in the number of automobiles, which added pollutants to the atmosphere through the fuel combustion in automobiles. The industrial processes, especially the petroleum industry considered the most dominant in Kirkuk Governorate, and anthropogenic activities also participated. Chromium Cr, Cu and gamma-ray were within the acceptable limits according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA).

Health risks and environmental assessments of heavy metals in road dust of Ramadi, Iraq

“…The mean concentration values for each heavy metal are shown in Table 1. The Cu mean value of 49.520 mg/L in the current study's data was found to be the highest and much higher than that in earlier reference studies conducted in Iraq (Kadhum, 2020;Khwedim et al, 2022)). The Cr, Ni, and Pb levels were greater than those found in the cited research.…”

Evaluation of Rainwater Quality in Some Polluted Locations within Erbil Province

“…The wide utilization of paints, fertilizers, and gazes emissions from factories within the studies area could be a source of Cd [30]. Many contaminant resources may be added and cause an increment in heavy metal values within the Erbil province, like oil industries, fuel burning in different kinds of cars, and high traffic intensity [31].…”