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Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Assessment of Air Pollution by Suspended Particles and Some Heavy Metals for Selected Areas in Baghdad City
Muhannad Kh. Mohammed, Majed Hassan Karbon, Raheem Jafer Aziz, Nabeel Hashim Ameen and Huda Nassar Karkosh

Abstract: The high rate of urbanization in Baghdad City is associated with environmental degradation such as air pollution. In the present study, atmospheric samples of suspended particles were collected using low volume air sampler (Sniffer) at 18 selected locations in Baghdad City during the period from October 2017 to January 2018. Dust samples collected on fiberglass filter were analyzed for Zinc (Zn), Cupper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer model AA-6200. The average total suspended particles concentration estimated for urban areas (518.38 μg/m3) was about 9 times higher than the value estimated for suburban/agricultural areas (57 μg/m3). The ranges of heavy metal concentrations in the investigated areas were ranged from 8.76-29 μg/m3 for Zn, 0.014-0.142 μg/m3 for Cu, 0.31-2.923 μg/m3 for Cr, 0.09-1.3 μg/m3 for Pb and 0.38-1.656 μg/m3 for Cd. Average levels of Cr (1.51 μg/m3) and Pb (0.59 μg/m3) show higher levels than corresponding international limits (0.04 and 0.5 μg/m3, respectively). The estimated Hazard index value for all studied metals (1.5) was higher than the safe level (1), indicating that some investigated heavy metals reach levels of public health concern.

How to cite this article
Muhannad Kh. Mohammed, Majed Hassan Karbon, Raheem Jafer Aziz, Nabeel Hashim Ameen and Huda Nassar Karkosh, 2018. Assessment of Air Pollution by Suspended Particles and Some Heavy Metals for Selected Areas in Baghdad City. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 13: 3651-3656.

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