Total heavy metals concentrations in surface soils of selected industrial sites of the city of Erbil

Abstract EN

Concentrations of heavy metals Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and As were determined in 19 surface soil samples collected from south and north industrial sites in the city of Erbil using atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Soil pH, conductivity, cation exchange capacity and total organic matter were also measured.

Heavy metals concentrations were determined after digesting the samples with aqua regia solution.

The range of the heavy metals recorded in this study in μg/g were: Cu (6.66-7.89), Zn (1.42-2.78), Cd (0.52-0.78), Pb (23.55-24.70), Ni (631-687), and As (15.33-18.47).

The reported results indicate that total heavy metal content of Ni and As were higher than the threshold limits set by the EPA and other researchers from other countries.-