Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Dust Samples from Industrial and Non-Industrial Sites in Erbil Governorate

The rapid process of industrialization and urbanization has led to the release of substantial amounts of heavy metals into the atmosphere, posing a significant threat to human health.This study aimed to collect dust samples from two different locations in Erbil Governorate: One from an industrial site (S1) and the other from a non-industrial site (S2) in Erbil Governorate.The sampling took place during July, August, and September 2021.Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to evaluate the concentrations of different elements (Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Zn, As, Pb, Co, and Cd) in the dust samples.The study also analyzed the health hazards, both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic, associated with these metals for the residents.Non-carcinogenic hazards were assessed by computing the values of hazard index (HI) and hazard quotient (HQ) individually for children and adults.The results showed that the HI values of all elements were less than one at both sites for both children and adults, except for Cr and as at the industrial area (site 1), where the HI values for children were 2.68E+00 and 3.85E+00, and for adults were 1.55E+00 and 1.03E+00, respectively.Thus, it was found that children faced a higher non-carcinogenic health risk compared to adults at both locations.Furthermore, the study evaluated the carcinogenic risks associated with elements such as As, Cr, Cd, and Ni.The carcinogenic risk (CR) values for these elements exceeded that range (10 -4 -10 -6 ), indicating that there is no significant carcinogenic risk present in the studied areas.