Sedimentological and Heavy Metals Characteristics of Streets Dust in some Areas East of Baghdad for 2020

• Main Author: Huda Hadi Jassim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Union of Iraqi Geologists (UIG) 2021-09-01
• Series: Iraqi Geological Journal
• Online Access: http://igj-iraq.org/igj/index.php/igj/article/view/703

Road-side dust samples were collected during August in 2020 from selected areas of, Al-Rusafa, Baghdad, Iraq. A sedimentological and mineralogical analysis of street dust was conducted. Three areas were selected to study street dusts which are Al-Baladitat, Al-Obaidi and Ziona. The laboratory analyses were done in the Department of Geology, College of Science, University of Baghdad. The heavy metal contents were determined in the roadside dust using XRF Method. It was found that the dust is of muddy texture, and is believed to be transmitted with the various storms blowing on Baghdad or by the wheels of Cars. The results of mineralogical investigation revealed that the dust samples composed of quartz, feldspar, calcite, gypsum and sedimentary rocks fragments, as light minerals and the heavy minerals were found as garnet, epidote, chlorites, pyroxene, biotite, zircon, muscovite, hornblende, tourmaline. The heavy metals (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb) in these streets dust samples were studied and used as indicator for pollution. two o main indices are applied: contamination factor, and pollution load index. The contamination factor for Co, Zn, Pb, and Ni is classified as class 2, which indicate moderately contamination, while the contamination factor for Fe and Cu is classified as class 1, which indicate low contamination. The pollution load index values in the all of studied sites are classified as class 2 (Deterioration on site quality) indicating local pollution, as well as denote perfection with class 0 of no pollution.