Estimation of Environmental Chemical Pollution of Al-Baiji Oil Refinery in Iraq | Chapter 03 | Advances in Applied Science and Technology Vol. 1
All kinds of
industries like oil plants, petrochemicals and chemical industries are causing
tremendous chemical pollution of
environment components like
air, water and soil.
The first target
of chemical pollution is the
environment of the refinery itself. It was seen that the protection and control
measures of chemical pollution locally followed for oil refinery environment
and its community were very limited. This
worse situation might
lead health hazards
to workers in
oil refinery and
consequently to its vicinity. This study was conducted to
assess the degree of chemical pollution and impact caused by Al-Baiji Oil Refinery
of Iraq on its own environment. Six heavy metals concentrations were estimated
in selected samples of
soil and water
collected from different
sites in oil
refinery by using
atomic absorption
spectrophotometery. These metals
were cadmium, copper,
nickel, lead, vanadium
and zinc. Estimation of pollutant gases utilized a portable digital device.
Results showed that some of the heavy
metals tested (Cu and
Zn) were at
acceptable levels whereas
the other four
heavy metals (cadimium, nickel,
lead and vanadium)
revealed higher values
than maximum allowable
limits. Determination of hydrogen
sulphide (H2S), nitrogen
dioxide (NO2), carbon
monoxide (CO) and oxygen (O2) gases were also done.
Acceptable concentrations of H2S (4.16)ppm and CO (29.5)ppm were recorded,
while those of NO2 (0.108)ppm and O2 (20.6%)ppm were not acceptable. Inhalation
of metal particles might be more dangerous than through gastrointestinal tract
(GIT) or dermal routes. Concentration
of gaseous pollutants
was almost close
to the acceptable
concentrations, with exception of
nitrogen dioxide which was noted to be more than the acceptable limits. It was
concluded that concentrations of heavy metals in soil and water of oil refinery
were higher than the maximum allowable levels recommended by WHO. Gases of
Al-Baiji oil refinery of Iraq especially NO2 were elevated too. These high
levels of chemical pollutants suggest a lack of efficient control measures in
the refinery. Consequently, this
situation might lead to pathophysiological changes of human body systems
particularly the respiratory tract of refinery workers and the vicinity
community.
Biography of author(s)
Mohemid M. Al-Jebouri
Department of Microbiology,
College of Medicine, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq.
View Volume: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/aast/v1
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