An Environmental Geochemical Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soil of Hawija Area, Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq

Abstract

Human health and safety are significantly impacted by soil contamination. Finding the levels of heavy metals As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, V, Pb, and Zn in surface soil in Al-Hawija, southwest Kirkuk, is the primary goal of the research. To measure the concentration of heavy metals and evaluate soil pollution using the Enrichment factor, Contamination Factor, and geoaccumulation index (Igeo), thirty samples were collected and subjected to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis. According to the results, anthropogenic sources in industrial areas have a highly polluted nickel mean of 169.33 ppm higher than the permissible limits (WHO). The mean EF values of heavy metals in all samples decrease in order from Pb > Ni > As > Zn > Cd > Cu > Co > Hg > Cr. The mean values of the Contamination Factor for heavy metals in all samples increased in the order of Cr < V< Hg< Co< Cu< Zn< Cd< As< Ni< Pb.