Tablo Abdulrahim Ahmed ^(1)*

(1). Environmental Science and Health Dept, College of Science, Univ. of Salahaddin-Erbil, KRI, Iraq.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Tablo Ahmed, e-mail: tablo.ahmed@su.edu.krd, tablo.ahmed@su.edu.krd,  phone: +964-750-745-8908).                        

Received:29/12/2023               Accepted: 26/02/2024

Abstract: 

More than two million people are thought to live in Erbil City, Northern Iraq, where this work was conducted. During low-level periods, the city’s sewage discharge can reach 77760 m3/day, and during high-level periods, it can reach 108000 m3/day. Local farmers use about 225 hectares of dispersed farmland, all irrigated by raw sewage water, to produce raw vegetables for the local market. Some toxic heavy metals, namely Pb, Ni and Cu bioaccumulation rates in sewage, soil and some uncooked vegetables in five different locations/ farms were followed up (only bioaccumulation rates of Lead values were ranging from 45.09 to 67.21mg.kg-1 in the soil of the studied locations. Nickel concentration values were from 15.03-29.79mg.kg-1, and copper was ranging from 34.06 to 49.94 mg.kg-1which are within the range of (MPL).

Keywords: Wastewater, Pb, Ni, Cu, Bioaccumulation, Polluted soil.

Full paper in Arabic: PDF