Assessment of soil pollution in Wasit Governorate by brick factories in Al-Hay District

الملخص

This study aimed to evaluate the extent of soil pollution with selected heavy metals lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) and to assess the impact of gases and volatile emissions from brick factories in Al-Hay District, Wasit Governorate. Soil pollution was quantified using the Contamination Factor (CF) and the Degree of Contamination (Cdeg), while measured concentrations were compared to international standards (WHO, 2007), which classify soils as polluted when Pb, Cr, Cd, Co, and Ni exceed 100, 200, 3, 10, and 50 mg kg⁻¹ soil, respectively four sampling sites   

were established at distances of 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 m from the pollution source, with an additional reference site at 3000 m. Soil samples were collected from two depths (0–30 cm and 30–60 cm) in both southeastern and northwestern directions. The data were analyzed statistically using analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Least Significant Difference (LSD) tests to identify significant differences between sites and depths.Results indicated that soils in the southeastern direction, particularly at 500 m and the surface layer (0–30 cm), recorded the highest concentrations of all studied heavy metals. Concentrations at the first depth consistently exceeded those in the deeper layer (30–60 cm), reflecting accumulation of airborne pollutants in the topsoil. The CF values for Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, and Ni at the southeastern site (500 m, 0–30 cm) were 8.66, 10.55, 14.40, 21.22, and 11.90, respectively, indicating very high pollution, while the northwestern sites exhibited significantly lower CF values. Similarly, the Cdeg values reached 66.73 and 60.37 at the two depths of the southeastern site, confirming a very high degree of contamination These findings demonstrate that brick factory emissions have a substantial spatial impact on soil quality, with the southeastern downwind direction being the most affected. The study highlights the importance of monitoring industrial emissions, providing critical insights for environmental management and soil protection in regions affected by brick manufacturing.