Applied Chemical Engineering

Assessment of Lead and Iron Contamination in Soil and Plants in Al-Kifil, Babylon Governorate, Iraq

Hawraa F.A. Al-Jebory

Al-Qasim Green University, Environmental Sciences College, Environment Pollution Dep., Babylon, Al-Qasim District, 51013, Iraq

Mohammed A.H. Al-Sadi

Al-Qasim Green University, Environmental Sciences College, Environment Pollution Dep., Babylon, Al-Qasim District, 51013, Iraq

Alaa K.H. Al-Khalaf

Al-Qasim Green University, Environmental Sciences College, Environment Pollution Dep., Babylon, Al-Qasim District, 51013, Iraq

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/ace.v9i1.5857

Keywords: Plant and Soil Contamination; Al-Kifil - Iraq; Pb-Fe Accumulation; Fe-Pb Interaction; Health Risk

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Abstract

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil poses a significant threat to food safety and public health. This study investigated the concentrations of Lead (Pb) and Iron (Fe) in various plant species and their associated soils at the Al-Kifil site compared to a control site (Al-Ibrahimiya).

Soil and plant samples (Onion, Swiss Chard, Broad Beans, Spinach, Garden Cress, and Barley) were analyzed for Pb and Fe content. Soil physicochemical properties, including pH, Salinity (EC), and Organic Matter (OM), were evaluated to determine their influence on metal mobility.

All plant samples from Al-Kifil exceeded the FAO/WHO permissible limit for Pb (0.3 ppm), with Swiss chard and Spinach reaching 8.82 ppm and 8.46 ppm, respectively. Soil Pb at Al-Kifil (up to 99.83 ppm) exceeded the Kabata-Pendias safety threshold (70 ppm). Transfer Factor (TF) analysis identified Garden cress (0.478) and Swiss Chard (0.405) as the most efficient accumulators. The lower soil pH at Al-Kifil (5.93) was identified as a key driver for increased metal bioavailability compared to the control (7.11). This suggests a synergistic relationship driven by both soil chemistry (acidity) and plant physiology:

The Al-Kifil site presents a severe Pb toxicity risk. Immediate soil remediation via liming and restricted cultivation of leafy accumulator crops are required to mitigate health risks to the local population.

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