Evaluation Heavy Metals Pollution in the Soil from some Regions of Al-Diwaniyah City / Iraq

Abstract

Abstract Soil is the surface layer of the earth’s crust in which plant roots grow and some animals and other microorganisms live in it and it is considered the basis of the ecosystem, so its contamination negatively impact the health of all living organisms, especially humans who are at the top of the food chain. Heavy metals are considered among the most prominent inorganic pollutants in the soil, so this study came to evaluate the concentrations of some toxic heavy metals in areas with different activities in the city of Diwaniyah. The results of the study showed that the concentrations of heavy metals in the surface soil ranged between (0.958-2.292 mg/kg) and (19.132-73.907 mg/kg), (14.882 - 50.012 mg/kg) and (29.689-62.109mg/kg) for cadmium, lead, copper and chromium, respectively, and their concentrations in the soil at depth of 30 cm ranged between (1.529-1.971 mg/kg), (22.160 - 99.885 mg/kg), (12.790-55.630 mg/kg) and (41.278-75.467 mg/kg) for cadmium, lead, copper and chromium, respectively. Soil pollution was evaluated by using some pollution indices such as the geological accumulation index, pollution load index, contamination factor and degree of pollution. The results of pollution indices showed that the surface soil of the surface study sites and depth of 30 cm is contaminated with a very high degree of cadmium. Medium pollution with lead and little pollution with copper and chromium, and this requires great attention in order to reduce soil pollution with heavy metals, especially cadmium and lead.