Journal of Pollution

Heavy Elements in Soil of West Qurna-1 Oil Field in Basrah Governorate, Southern Iraq

Abstract

Hamid T Al-Saad, Hamzah A Kadhim, Makia M Al-Hejuje

Soil samples were collected seasonally from ten locations in west Qurna-1 oil field from January-December, 2018 to determine the
concentrations of some heavy elements (lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Manganese (Mn) and Iron (Fe) in exchangeable
and residual phases of soil. The results of seasonal mean concentrations in exchangeable phase of (pb, Ni, Cu, Cd, Mn and, Fe) showed
that, the highest concentration were (16.85, 39.47, 21.21, 5.60, 358.42, and 641.44) μg/g dry weight respectively, while the lowest
concentration were (14.50, 31.37, 18.39, 3.90, 340.41 and 619.48) μg/g dry weight respectively . The result of seasonal mean
concentrations in residual phase of (pb, Ni, Cu, Cd, Mn and, Fe) showed that, the highest concentration were (27.04, 84.82, 28.75,
7.73, 259.83, and 649.30) μg/g dry weight respectively, while the lowest concentration were (24.95 , 81.38, 26.74, 6.71, 228.46, 641.44) μg/g
dry weight respectively. Heavy elements indices (Geo-accumulation index (I-geo), Contamination Factor (CF) and Enrichment Factor (EF) were
calculated for soil, according to I-geo Index, the soil in the study area was practically unpolluted with Ni, Cu, Mn, Fe, while the soil was
unpolluted to moderately polluted with Pb, and for Cd the soil was strongly polluted to extremely polluted.