Determination of Trace Elements Lead, Nickel and Cadmium in Ground Water from Wells near Southern Refineries, Basrah-Iraq

Abstract

The current study was conducted to estimate the concentrations of three trace elements; nickel, lead and cadmium in the groundwater of eight wells, the six wells from w₁ to w₆ were close to the refineries at about half a kilometer to three kilometers and w₇ and w₈ wells were about 12.5 km away from the area (control wells) in the surrounding area of Southern Refineries (Al-Shuaiba), Al-Zubair district, Basrah Governorate, southern Iraq. Water samples were collected quarterly. The highest concentrations of lead was 0.933 μg/l in well W₁ in spring whereas the minimum concentration of the lead was 0.208 μg/l in well W₇ in summer while the rates of nickel concentrations ranged between the highest concentration of 0.445 μg/l in well W1 in winter and the lowest concentration 0.055 μg/l in well W₈ during the fall. Cadmium recorded the highest concentration of 0.496 μg/l in well W₃ in spring while the lowest concentration was 0.053 μg/l in well W8 in summer. It was concluded from the study that the oil refineries have a significant impact on pollution events. The hydrocarbon pollutants in the nearby wells water originated from these refineries.