Evaluation of Heavy Metals of Lead, Nickel, Cadmium, Vanadium and Some Chemical Parameters in Surface Soils of the City of Khorramabad

Abstract

This study was conducted in 2017 with the aim of determining the distribution of heavy metals lead, nickel, cadmium, vanadium and the parameters of acidity, electrical conductivity and organic matter in the surface soils of the city of Khorramabad. Sampling was performed monthly from 12 stations and was repeated 3 times in the autumn. The highest amount of cadmium was observed in the soil samples of industrial areas of the city in the two sampling periods of October and December to be 7 ppm. A comparison of the mean measured values of heavy elements showed that the highest average amounts of heavy elements are in industrial areas and the lowest in residential areas. The lowest amount was measured in 8th and 11th stations at 2 ppm. The highest amount of lead in the 6th station, a bustling area, was measured to be 22 ppm. The average nickel in industrial areas was higher than other areas. In industrial area, during the sampling period of October, its amount was determined to be 58 mg/kg. The highest amount of vanadium was recorded in staion9 at 52 mg/kg. Lead has a significant correlation with nickel, cadmium and soil acidity. This correlation is 0.01% for acidity and cadmium variables and 0.03% for nickel. Nickel has a significant correlation with cadmium and vanadium at the level of 0.01%. The results indicate that the surface soil of the city of Khorramabad is not contaminated with the studied metals. In general, the results showed that both human and natural factors are always involved in the distribution and concentration of heavy metals.