Environmental assessment of heavy metals in surface and groundwater at Samarra City, Central Iraq

A comprehensive environmental assessment of heavy metals in surface and groundwater at Samarra City, Central Iraq, reveals widespread contamination exceeding WHO standards, with concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, As, Mo, Hg, Al, Li, Be, Se, and V linked to anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, industrial processes, and military operations. Uranium levels are notably high in most samples, likely due to military activity, while cobalt pollution stems from industrial processes and oil product spills. Physical and chemical parameters like BOD, EC, TDS, COD, and turbidity also show unacceptable values according to IQS2009 limits for drinking water. The Water Quality Index (WQI) confirms that all samples are unfit for consumption, with groundwater (GW1) exhibiting the highest contamination levels. This study underscores the severe environmental degradation in Samarra City, driven by diverse anthropogenic pressures and natural factors like aquifer recharge and evaporation.

(Ed.). (2018). Environmental assessment of heavy metals in surface and groundwater at Samarra City, Central Iraq. Iraqi Journal of Science, 59(3A). https://doi.org/10.24996/ijs.2018.59.3a.16