Determination of Trace Elements Lead, Nickel and Cadmium in Ground Water from Wells near Southern Refineries, Basrah-Iraq

Abstract

The current study was conducted to estimate the concentrations of three trace elements; nickel, lead and cadmium in the groundwater of eight wells, the six wells from w1 to w6 were close to the refineries at about half a kilometer to three kilometers and w7 and w8 wells were about 12.5 km away from the area (control wells) in the surrounding area of Southern Refineries (Al-Shuaiba), Al-Zubair district, Basrah Governorate, southern Iraq. Water samples were collected quarterly. The highest concentrations of lead was 0.933 μg/l in well W1 in spring whereas the minimum concentration of the lead was 0.208 μg/l in well W7 in summer while the rates of nickel concentrations ranged between the highest concentration of 0.445 μg/l in well W1 in winter and the lowest concentration 0.055 μg/l in well W8 during the fall. Cadmium recorded the highest concentration of 0.496 μg/l in well W3 in spring while the lowest concentration was 0.053 μg/l in well W8 in summer. It was concluded from the study that the oil refineries have a significant impact on pollution events. The hydrocarbon pollutants in the nearby wells water originated from these refineries.

Assessment of some physical and chemical properties of the groundwater and its suitability for drinking and irrigation for the wells of Um Anij farms in Al-Zubair district

“…The highest value of pH reached to 8.78 in well W7. The lowest value reached to 7.21in well W5, Carbon dioxide in the water, and this increase can be explained on the basis of the amount of dissolved salts as the increase in water salts then increases its acidic function and thus it is basic and the results showed that the concentrations pH was accompanied by an increase in the amount of salts, and this is in accordance with the study [20]. This is confirmed by the results of the statistical analysis of the existence of a positive significant correlation between the pH and salinity at a probability level (P <0.01).…”

“…The wells of the current study exceeded the permissible values in (Iraqi drinking water standards, [13], and the global [14, [15], [16] proposed for drinking water of 250 mg / L. The results of in electrical conductivity the current study indicate that the highest value was recorded at 8.540 mS / cm in well W7, and the lowest value was 4.933 mS / cm in well W5. 0.01 r = 0.921, conductivity and chloride ion r = 0.930, P <0.01 and in the study of Labar Al-Zubair it was classified as unsuitable for human consumption depending on the values of electrical conductivity, dissolved salts and chloride ion [20], and may be due to the difference in the geological formations of the regions as they depend on the type of rocks and soils that are in contact with [21], the results of the study exceeded the permissible limits of 1600 microsmins / cm in (Iraqi drinking water standards [13], and [14], [15], [16]. The highest value of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) reached to 8976 mg / l in well W7, and the lowest value reached to 3923 mg / l in well W5.…”

Study of Some Heavy Metals Concentrations from the Soil of Selected Areas at the ‎North Part of Basrah, Iraq

“…The importance of most heavy elements in the living system is due to their ability to form complex organic compounds in addition for being active centers for a large number of enzymes so that they perform functions in the life system, despite their presence in very low concentration cover most of the element, and an excess or deficiency of these elements leads to physiological damage to the living organisms (Al-Saad et al, 2003). These elements are an important class of pollutants that have lethal effects and sub-lethal effects on living organisms (Younus and Al-Khafaji, 2020). There are two major sources of heavy metals in the aquatic environment of southern Iraq, natural and anthropogenic (Saleh et al, 2021).…”