Analysis of the Effect of Heavy Elements in Polluted Industrial Water and its Environmental Treatment: An applied Study on the Gas Power Plant/1 (Central Region) in Southern Baghdad and its Discharge into the Tigris River

qater al-nada ali kanaem al-ibady; ayat khairi hashim; salwa ali ghanim; reyam naji ajmi; maan mahmood sayyid

Outline

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Research article

Analysis of the Effect of Heavy Elements in Polluted Industrial Water and its Environmental Treatment: An applied Study on the Gas Power Plant/1 (Central Region) in Southern Baghdad and its Discharge into the Tigris River

qater al-nada ali kanaem al-ibady¹

,

ayat khairi hashim²

,

salwa ali ghanim³

,

Reyam Naji Ajmi⁴^*

,

maan mahmood sayyid⁵

¹

Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Health and Medical Techniques-Baghdad, Middle Technical University (MTU), Baghdad 10047, Iraq

²

Department of Water Resources Techniques, Institute of Technology – Baghdad, Middle 2 Technical University, Baghdad 10001, Iraq

³

Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science, (Ibn-Al-Haitham), University of Baghdad, Baghdad 10022, Iraq

⁴

Department of Biology Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad 10081, Iraq

⁵

Mechanical Senior- Chief Engineer/South Baghdad Gas Power Plant/1, Baghdad 10069, Iraq

International Journal of Environmental Impacts

|

Volume 8, Issue 2, 2025

|

Pages 415-421

https://doi.org/10.18280/ijei.080220

Received: 11-10-2024,

Revised: 02-20-2025,

Accepted: 03-18-2025,

Available online: 04-29-2025

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Abstract:

Water produced from power plants is one of the most important sources of water pollution, especially for areas like Baghdad, Contaminated industrial wastewater is a major environmental challenge due to the rapid growth of industries, leading to increased accumulation of harmful pollutants in water resources, the work is intended to study the impact of water generated from a power plant in the south on the level of heavy metals before and after the treatment process and after its discharge to the Tigris River. Objective is to determine the extent of heavy metals such as iron, copper, chromium, and zinc concentration in water extracted from various points and subsequently study the monthly variations of these elements with a view to assessment of water quality and efficiency of the treatment systems. Description: Water samples were collected from pre-treatment, post-treatment, and post-discharge points to the Tigris River. Measurements were carried out on a monthly basis for six months. The preparation of samples was done by filtration and preservation techniques by adding nitric acid. Results are showed that iron concentration reached its peak value of 1.70 mg/L in November 2021, while the minimum value of 0.10 mg/L was recorded in the month of October. Temporal variation: there is variation in metals on a monthly basis; for instance, zinc ranged from 0.40 mg/L during January to 2.70 mg/L during November. Standard comparison: the result was also checked against allowable values given by the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency to determine the level at which water meets the environmental standards. Heavy metal concentrations varied significantly before and after treatment, indicating unit efficiency. Iron, copper, chromium, and zinc showed reductions, though some exceeded limits, posing environmental risks. Future monitoring and improved treatment are essential to safeguard public health and the Tigris River's ecosystem.

Keywords: Heavy metal pollution, Industrial Wastewater treatment, Environmental Impact assessment, Tigris River pollution, Sustainable water management

1. Introduction

2. Materials and Methods

3. Results and Discussion

4. Conclusions

1) A wide variation was observed in the concentrations of heavy metals before and after water treatment, reflecting the efficiency of the treatment units used. The chemical analysis has shown that treatment units are capable of reducing the concentration of iron, copper, chromium, and zinc with high rates before discharge into the Tigris River.

2) The iron concentrations ranged from 0.36 to 1.70 mg/L, above the maximum permissible limit of 0.3 mg/L, thus posing a potential threat to the environment and human health since high levels of iron deteriorate the quality of water and are harmful to the aquatic organisms.

3) Values of copper detected remained between 0.20-1.84 mg/L and remained around the maximum permissible limit of 1.3 mg/L. Despite the fact that some months of the year remain below the maximum limit, higher values suggest contamination problems that should be scrutinized further.

4) Concentrations of chromium range from 0.00 to 0.810 mg/L and sometimes are above the maximum permissible limit of 0.1 mg/L, giving some insight into the extent of this major environmental problem because chromium in general can be very toxic to organisms living in water and may bring health problems to humans.

5) Regarding Zn, it ranges from 0.30 to 2.70 mg/L out of the maximum limit set at 5.0 mg/L. Monitoring should be continually undertaken to ensure that the concentrations will not build up for a certain period until the maximum is reached.

6) Forecasting the future: By the model of statistical analysis, the major factor affecting heavy metal concentration was found out and future change could be predicted accordingly.

It would, therefore, be reasonable to raise the bar for treatment systems at the plant by improving on monitoring techniques to safeguard the environment and health of the community.

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the following institutions for their invaluable support in conducting this research: The Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Health and Medical Techniques - Baghdad, Middle Technical University; the Department of Water Resources Techniques, Institute of Technology - Baghdad, Middle Technical University; the Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science (Ibn-Al-Haitham), University of Baghdad; the Department of Biology Science, Mustansiriyah University; and the Senior Mechanical Chief Engineer at the South Baghdad Gas Power Plant. Their continuous support and cooperation have been essential for the successful completion of this study.

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Al-ibady, Q. A. A. K., Hashim, A. K., Ghanim, S. A., Ajmi, R. N., & Sayyid, M. M. (2025). Analysis of the Effect of Heavy Elements in Polluted Industrial Water and its Environmental Treatment: An applied Study on the Gas Power Plant/1 (Central Region) in Southern Baghdad and its Discharge into the Tigris River. Int. J. Environ. Impacts., 8(2), 415-421. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijei.080220

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