In this study, the concentrations of the physical properties such as the acidity number (pH), temperature (T), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and total hardness (TH) and, the chemical properties such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), nitrates (NO3-), sulfates (SO42-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), phosphates (PO43-), fluoride (F-), and chloride (Cl-) in the groundwater in selected areas in Al-Dhalia district, Al-Dhalia,  governorate were determined by collecting water samples from 16 wells and thereafter the samples were analyzed, in the laboratory of the water resources authority in Aden, according to the recommended methods mentioned in the literature. The analysis results showed that most of the well water is not suitable for drinking due to their contents of some chemical and physical properties were exceeded the maximum permissible limit for WHO (1997) and Yemen ministry of water and environment (YMWE,1999).

In this research, the level of heavy metals Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) in groundwater in selected areas in the region of Al-Dhalia district, Al-Dhalia Governorate, Yemen.  Sixteen groundwater samples were collected from the study area included 9 artesian wells samples and 7 of hand-dug wells, and analyzed for the presence of heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results of the analysis showed that the concentrations of Pb, Mn and Cu in most of the studied samples have exceeded the Yemeni and WHO standards for drinking water, while the concentrations of Fe, Cd, Cr and Zn in most of the studied samples were low and fall within the optimum specifications for local and WHO drinking water.

Air pollution from pollutant emissions has become a threat to the biological system and human health. The concentration levels and sources of heavy metals contamination were studied in deposited dust samples collected from various locations, including five different activity areas: industrial, highways, residential, mixed use and a remote area from contaminants in Aden, Yemen. Metal content of Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, Mn and Fe in dust was analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed high concentration levels of Cd and Pb in industrial and residential areas. Deposited dust contamination was assessed by various methods: Enrichment factor (EF), Contamination factor (CF), Degree of contamination (DC) and potential ecological index (RI). The enrichment factor indicated extremely high enrichment of Cd, Pb and Zn. High EF of Cd, Pb and Zn showed that anthropogenic sources contribute a substantial amount of these metals to dust deposited. Contamination factor analysis showed that dust samples are significantly contaminated by Cd and Pb. Individual ecological risk (Er) indicated low to high contamination of Cd, but low contamination of Pb, Cr, Cu, Co and Zn. The degree of contamination (DC) and Potential ecological risk index (RI) indicated that most of the study areas demonstrated “Moderate to considerable category” risk index. The result suggest mixed origin of pollution sources; including Man-made sources, traffic sources, and lithogenic occurrences of the metals from construction sources and road construction currently in some of the sites studied.

A new chelating sorbent has been synthesized using Amberlite XAD-2 resin functionalized with 1-amino-2-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid (ANSA) through-N=Ngroup. This sorbent, characterized by infrared (FTIR) spectra and optimized for sorption-desorption of the studied metal ions then, it was used as packing for the column for separation/ preconcentration of cadmium, cobalt, and nickel prior to their determination spectrophotometrically. Metal ions of Cd, Ni, and Co sorbed in the column were eluted one by one with 0.02 M, 0.10 M, and 0.20 M HCl acid respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed procedure enabled the determination of Cd, Co, and Ni with detection limits of 0.98, 0.30 and 2.10 μg L− 1 respectively. The developed procedure was evaluated by the analysis of mixed metal ions Cd, Co and Ni solution contained 0.30, 30, and 1.25 μg respectively, and the percentage recovery was 95.5-104%. The procedure was applied to the analysis of food samples (grains of Sorghum bicolor), and the results obtained were compared with that of FAAS (before and after separation/preconcentration).

The impact of waste irrigation on the concentrations of the metals Cd, Co and Ni contents in grains of Sorghum bicolor was investigated through analyzing (for three seasons 2008-2010s) four different-irrigation sorghum grains samples grown on four different-irrigation soil areas according to the experimental design. Two original soils: Soil, historically and experimentally, irrigated with Wastewater (SHEwastewater), and Soil, historically and experimentally, irrigated with wells water samples were analyzed in the 1 st and 2 nd seasons. According to the procedures used in the literature, Samples were collected, pretreated, preserved, digested according to the microwave assisted acids digestion procedures, and analyzed for metals by ICP-AES. Quality control was performed and %R(s) we have gotten were good for real samples analysis. Cd and Pb metal contents of the two types of the original soil samples were not significantly different. In addition, these metal contents of the two types of soil samples have not exceeded the upper EU standards. The average means (of 1 st and 2 nd seasons) levels of Cd and Pb of wastewater were higher than that of wells water. In addition, the average means of these metal ions of both wastewater and wells water was lower than Yemeni standard for irrigation water. Sorghum grains analysis results, for at least two of the three seasons, indicated that: wastewater irrigation resulted in an increase in Cd and Pb contents of grains of Sorghum bicolor. Moreover, there is no significant difference between the effect of wastewater and wells water irrigation on Co content of grains of Sorghum bicolor.