Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Contaminated Soil at Al-Nasiriyah City, Iraq

Kareem, Sabreen; Muheisen Al Mrayan, Abbas Zgher; Al-husseiny, Rasha A.

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2022.113170.5141

Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Contaminated Soil at Al-Nasiriyah City, Iraq

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Hydraulic structure department, college of Engineering, Al Qasim Green University , Hilla, Iraq

² College of Arts, University of Thi-Qar,AL-Nasiriyah city,Iraq

³ College of Engineering, Al-Qasim Green University,Hilla city , Iraq

10.21608/ejchem.2022.113170.5141

Abstract

This study assesses the health risks on exposed populations caused by heavy metals near Al-Nasiriyah Thermal Electricity Station. In this study, soil samples from seven sites were collected and analyzed for nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Cobalt (Co), using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Measured concentrations of these heavy metals were then used to estimate the health risk for adults and children. The total Hazard Index values for all pathways were less than 1 indicated no carcinogenic risk except at sites 4 and 5. It found that equal to 2.2744 and 1.6341 respectively. (child) mainly driven by Pb in these sites, making non-carcinogenic effects significant to the child population. The maximum total carcinogenic risk values were found at site 4 which is equal to 0.000133 for adults and 0.000204 for children. This value attributed to the risk value from ingestion of Ni which was 0.000119729 for adults and 0.000191567 for a child. These values were higher than 0.0001 indicated unacceptable carcinogenic risks in these sites. The order of pathways that caused human health risk assessment was ingestion>dermal>inhalation for both adults and Childs.

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