The contamination of roadside soils and plants with heavy metals in Ma'an City, Jordan
Other Title(s)
تلوث التربة و النباتات المحاذية للطرق في مدينة معان-الأردن بالفلزات الثقيلة
Dissertant
Thesis advisor
Comitee Members
al-Khashman, Umar Ali
Manasirah, Walid Atif
al-Suway, Muhammad Izzat
al-Umari, Ahmad Ahmad
University
Mutah University
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Department
Department of Chemistry
University Country
Jordan
Degree
Master
Degree Date
2007
English Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the contamination of Ma'an's environment with heavy metals, major anions and cations.
In order to achieve this aim, roadside soil and plant samples were collected during the summer of 2005, from five sites distributed on two main roads located in the northwest of Ma'an. Total contents of Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn, and Cd in roadside soil, washed and unwashed plant leaf samples have been determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy.
The results show that there are elevated levels (19.7, 64.0, 146.9, 124.6, and 3.5 mg / kg dry weight for Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn, and Cd, respectively) of these metals in roadside soils compared to control site soil but their concentrations are lower than other cities inside and outside Jordan.
In unwashed plant samples, the average concentrations of the metals were 2.2, 6.2, 31.1, and 50.7 mg / kg dry weight for Pb, Cu, Zn, and Mn, respectively.
By washing the leaves, 62.6 %, 25.1 %, 46.0 % and 18.7 % of Pb, Cu, Zn, and Mn were removed, which indicates that a significant part of the pollution, especially from Pb, came from aerial deposition.
It was suggested that the main source of these metals is automobile emissions. A sequential extraction procedure was applied on roadside soils ; it has been found that the Fe-Mn oxide fraction is the predominant form for Pb (49 %), Zn (48 %), Cd (45 %), and Mn (55 %) whereas the residual fraction is the predominant form for Cu (39 %).
Also roadside soil samples were separated into four-size fractions by a series of standard sieves as coarse sand (1000-500 µm), medium sand (500-250 µm), fine sand (250-53 µm) and silt / clay (< 53 µm).
The results indicate that the highest size weight of all roadside soil samples was for the medium sand (500-250 µm) (57.23 %) and the metal contents for all of the analyzed samples increase whenever the particle size fraction decreases.
Major soluble cations Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ and major soluble anions (F-, CI-, Br-, NO-3, PO43-, and S04 2-) were quantitatively determined in roadside samples by flame photometry and ion chromatography.
The results show that roadside soil samples contain 7.2, 786, 145.2, 1433, 365.6, 67.6, 4574, and 10703 mg / kg of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, F-, CI-, N03-, and SO42-, respectively.
Br- and P042- were not detected in all samples.
The physic-chemical properties including : the variation of pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, calcium carbonate content, moisture, and organic matter were determined for roadside soil samples.
The results show that the pH, EC, CEC, CaC03, Mois, and OM of roadside soils were 7.1, 523.3 µS / cm, 7.86 meq / l00g, 32.01 %, 0.68% and 3.93 %o, respectivily.
Enrichment and mobility factors for heavy metals in roadside soil samples were evaluated and discussed.
The accuracy of results was checked by triplicate analysis of SRM Soil 7.
Main Subjects
Topics
No. of Pages
99
Table of Contents
Table of contents.
Abstract.
Chapter One : theoretical background.
Chapter Two : materials and methods.
Chapter Three : results and discussion.
Chapter Four : conclusions and recommendations.
References.
American Psychological Association (APA)
al-Rawashidah, Ahmad Ibrahim. (2007). The contamination of roadside soils and plants with heavy metals in Ma'an City, Jordan. (Master's theses Theses and Dissertations Master). Mutah University, Jordan
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-309621
Modern Language Association (MLA)
al-Rawashidah, Ahmad Ibrahim. The contamination of roadside soils and plants with heavy metals in Ma'an City, Jordan. (Master's theses Theses and Dissertations Master). Mutah University. (2007).
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-309621
American Medical Association (AMA)
al-Rawashidah, Ahmad Ibrahim. (2007). The contamination of roadside soils and plants with heavy metals in Ma'an City, Jordan. (Master's theses Theses and Dissertations Master). Mutah University, Jordan
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-309621
Language
English
Data Type
Arab Theses
Record ID
BIM-309621