دراسة كمية ونوعية لغبار مدينة كربلاء وتقييم قدرة التحمل والمعالجة لبعض النباتات

Quantitative and qualitative study for Kerbala city dust and assessment the tolerance ability and treatment for some plants

This study, which began from March 2017 to the end of February 2018 was designed to determine the concentrations of the falling dust, its physical properties, its chemical and biological contents, the concentrations of suspended particles and some heavy elements in the air. Also examined some of the dominant plant species in the region to assess the effect of air pollution and to select of the most efficient plants assit contaminants reduction in three selected sites. The first is the rural area in Husayniyah groves as a control area, the second is the densely populated urban area and the third is the industrial area. The dust contents were identified using the scanning electron microscopy / energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and X-ray diffraction technology (XRD). The results of the study showed a high concentration of dust in all locations, and the annual rate was 36.74 g/m2, which exceeded the British determinants. The scanning electron microscope showed that most of the dust particles were irregular, with some particles appearing in tubular ,round and spherical shapes. Particle sizes ranged from 2-50 microns which are very dangerous to health The analysis of X-ray dispersion spectroscopy showed that dust particles contained 16 elements with the following weight ratio order Oxygen ˂ Carbon ˂ Calcium ˂ Silicon ˂ Iron ˂ Aluminum ˂ Sulfur ˂ Potassium ˂ Magnesium ˂ Chlorine ˂ Cadmium ˂ Chromium ˂ Sodium ˂ Lead ˂ Nickel ˂ Titanium, contained 5 heavy elements hazardous to health and the ecosystem , The analysis of the dust using X-ray diffraction showed that calcite was the most common mineral in the falling dust particles followed by quartz, gypsum, albite, kaolinite, palygorskite, illite, dolomite, halite. It also contained 18 species of fungus belonging to 10 fungal genus : Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Mucor, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Absidia, Candida and Trichoderma.,

Penicillium and Cladosporium, while two genus of bacteria were also diagnosed Bacillus spp and Staphylococcus spp , the first genus was dominant in all sites and seasons. The total suspended particulate matter (TSP) was 1829.4 μg / m3 which exceeded the determinants of the World Health Organization and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The concentrations of four heavy elements in the suspended particles were estimated using the atomic absorption spectroscopy with concentrations of 4.54, 1.08, 0.25 and 0.162 μg / m3 for Pb, Cd, Ni and Cr respectively, and exceeded by the European Environment Agency. Seven of the plant species, Ziziphus spina christi, Conocarpus lancifolius, Ficus nitida, Dodonaea viscosa, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Nerium oleander and Olea europaea, were evaluated to assess air pollution tolerance index based on four bio-chemical and physiological parameters, total chlorophyll, pH, water content and the ascorbic acid. Findings revealed that among 7 plant species, O.europaea E. Cameladensis were tolerant towards air pollution, Z. spina Christi was intermediate can be used in the formation of the green belt to reduce pollutants.Whereas, the others were found sensitive and can be used to biomonitors for air pollution. The two species were C. lancifolius and Z. Spina Christi are more efficient in capturing dust while finding the following species D. viscosa, E. camaldulensis and N. oleander more capable of accumulating heavy elements lead, cadmium, nickel and chromium.Analysis of the results of the study and its comparison with local and international studies and global determinants showed that most sources of dust are local sources. And the dust falling particles are dangerous particles in sizes capable of penetrating the respiratory tracts and their contents of carcinogenic minerals and microorganisms that cause allergies and pathogens for humans and plants. The study also concluded by monitoring air pollution using chemical, physical and biological analysis methods that the environment of Kerbala city is exposed to high air pollution level from falling dust, total suspended particles and heavy elements and concentrations of these pollutants in the center of the city the were closer to the concentrations of the industrial area and exceeded their in concentration of lead and cadmium. The study recommended removing the industrial site outside the city and preventing the spread of workshops and generators inside urban area and limiting the addition of Iss to gasoline and creation more green spaces.