Evaluation of Environmental Risk Index for Heavy Metals in Some Sedimentary Soils Pollution of Babylon Governorate

Abstract

This research included study of some sedimentary soils pollution from the Babylon Governorate by As, Cu, Ni and Pb estimated with XRF spectra. The locations determined via GPS between longitude °32 08′ 757″-°32 99′ 861″N and Latitude °44 09′ 220″- °44 99′ 928″E. Soil total of As, Cu and Ni were high, as As recorded the highest values 24.5mg kg-1 in surface horizon of soil sample Ss5. While Cu and Ni: 70.2, 372.5mg kg-1 respectively in lower horizon of soil sample Ss2. Pb was below the limits allowed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The highest single pollution index (PI) for As: 3.31, Cu: 1.54, Ni: 1.55recorded the highest values in the surface horizon of the soil sample Ss5, and Pb: 1.87 in the lower horizon of the same sample. Newmerow integrated pollution index (NIPI), also follows the same pattern in mentioned samples: 2.78, 1.45, 1.45 and 1.65respectively. For the results of the potential ecological risk index (Er) the highest values of As: 33.1, Cu: 7.70 and Ni 7.75; Pb: 9.35 recorded in both mentioned two horizon. Thereby, the highest total comprehensive ecological risk index (RI) for the heavy metals group was 55.70 in the surface horizon of soil sample Ss5.