Effect of tigris water irrigation on heavy metal contamination in soil and plant Harby Abeer F.*, Naser Kadhim M.1, Rasheed Ibtesam M.1 Ministry of Sciences and Technology, Baghdad, Iraq 1Department of Environment and Water, College of Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq *E-mail: abeerfaiq.h154@yahoo.com
Online Published on 15 February, 2024. Abstract The study was conducted to observe the effect of Tigris River water irrigation on heavy metal (Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb) contamination in soil and plant within the boundaries of the city of Baghdad. Four sites were chosen to take water samples: Al Rashidiya, Al Dora power station, the confluence of the Diyala River with the Tigris River (Al Tuwaitha) and Salman Pak from May to December 2019. Soil and plant samples (Medicago sativa L) were collected from fields adjacent to the riverbed selected sites. Results indicated significant changes in the water quality parameters like electrical conductivity (1.31 dSm-1), pH (8.05), total dissolved solids (TDS; 692.95), residual sodium carbonate (RSC; 49.81), exchanged sodium percentage (ESP; 1.11) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR; 1.60 mg l-1). Chemical oxygen requirement (COD), organic carbon concentration (TOC) and turbidity at Al-Tuwaitha site increased to 20.23, 35.58, 39.27 mg l-1 respectively. In addition to high concentration of dissolved cations and anions at the same site. River water was classified as C2 S1 according to American Salinity Laboratory system. Lead and cadmium concentrations were 0.69 and 0.04 mg L-1, at Al-Dora and Al-Tuwaitha electricity sites, respectively and exceeded the internationally permissible limits, while concentrations of copper and nickel were within permissible limits. Cadmium contamination of soil was also observed and concentrations ranged between 14.45-2.25 mg kg-1. The soils of Al Dora power station and Tuwaitha sites were contaminated with lead with concentrations of 55.4 0and 61.75 mg kg-1, respectively. The concentrations of copper and nickel were within the limits allowed internationally. Concentrations of lead in plant ranged between 1.85-1.01 and cadmium between 0.45-0.24 mg kg-1 dry matter, exceeding the permissible limits internationally, while the concentrations of copper and nickel were between 1.05-0.78 and 0.38-0.24 mg kg-1 dry matter and were within permissible limits. Top Keywords Tigris River, Irrigation, Soil pollution, Heavy metals. Top |