Trace metals in topsoils near the Babylon Cement Factory (Euphrates River) and human health risk assessment

Metals were studied in topsoils surrounding a cement plant near the Euphrates River, Iraq. Bulk concentrations of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO, MgO, Na₂O, K₂O, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, pH, organic matter, clay, sand, and silt were analyzed. The results indicate that the soils in the area are primarily alkaline with an average pH of 8.8; the texture is sandy loam. The CaO percentages were found to be high (31.9 wt% average). Soil levels of Pb, Zn, and Cd levels close to the cement plant are higher than the values reported in the literature. An enrichment factor calculation suggests that Ni, Cu, Zn Cd, and Pb have anthropogenic sources and exhibit a significant level of contamination. Principal component analysis identified Pb, CaO, Zn, and Cd as the signature geochemical characteristics that are associated with the cement factory. Moreover, most of the affected soils exhibit a NW–SE trend, which coincides with the prevailing winds in the study area. This pattern is indicative of dry deposition as the primary mechanism for metal accumulation. The hazard index (HI_{Ni-Zn-Cd–Pb}) was found to be 0.619 for cumulative metals, representing the highest value reported for health risk related to impacted soils by cement industry.