Spatial distribution of heavy metals in the soil of different area at left bank in Mosul City, Iraq: Part 2

Abstract

Soil contamination with heavy metals is currently one of the greatest environmental threats. The left bank soil of Mosul city has been studied to assess contamination by heavy metals. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn were measured on 96 topsoil samples collected ( by a random sampling system and analyzed using the ICP-MS technique ) from green areas and parks in the left bank of Mosul city in order to assess the distribution of these heavy metals in the urban environment; to differentiate natural and anthropogenic contributions; and to identify possible sources of pollution. The average of earth crust was dependent as a reference value. Results for the elements (As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) showed higher values than the average crust by 100%, 38.57%, 46.88%, 100%, 20.0%, and 33.33% respectively. It is noted that the concentration of nickel and lead in the investigated urban soils of the left bank was higher than that of the right bank.Pollution factors (Igeo, EF, and CF) indicate that most of the contamination is attributed to the anthropogenic addition due to war activities and the use of various heavy weapons like bombs, missiles, ammunition, and their residues that contain many heavy metals, as well as pollutants generated from waste burning, vehicle exhausts, electric generators, and liquid waste in urban and industrial areas.