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Evaluation of Environmental Pollution Indices of Heavy Metals in Soil around Khuzestan Steel Co

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Department of Soil Sciences, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Department of Soil Science, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

3 Department of Geology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

4 Water Studies Research Center, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Heavy metal contamination in surface soils poses significant risks due to the potential for human exposure via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. This study, conducted in 2022, assessed concentrations of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), and chromium (Cr) in surface soils surrounding Khuzestan Steel Company.

Materials and Methods: Surface soil sampling was performed at 50 systematically selected stations around Khuzestan Steel Co. and one control station. A total of 50 composite samples, each with three replicates, were collected. Heavy metal concentrations were measured using a Varian AA220Z atomic absorption spectrometer (Australia).

Results: In the area of Khuzestan Steel company, the highest average heavy metal values were for cobalt (13.02 mg kg-1) and the lowest for cadmium (0.02 mg kg-1). Cobalt and nickel values were higher than other metals in soil samples. The NIPI index for arsenic was 1.95 within the range and 1.84 outside the range, and for cobalt it was 1.43 within the range and 1.31 outside the range at low contamination levels, and for other heavy metals it was at a level without contamination. Environmental pollution indices, CF, Igeo, EF, and NIPI, indicate the absence of heavy metal contamination in the soils surrounding the Khuzestan Steel Co.

Conclusion: Soil near Khuzestan Steel Co. exhibited variable heavy metal concentrations, with the highest levels observed for Co and the lowest for Cd. Pollution index results suggest that natural geological and climatic factors influence soil contamination more than anthropogenic sources.
 
Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Keywords

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Available Online from 27 May 2025
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