Geochemical Evaluation of Arsenic Content in Different Types of Soils in Kirkuk Governorate/Northern Iraq

In this study, 32 soil samples were taken from a depth of (0-20) distributed over different areas (Kirkuk City, Riyadh City, Hawija City, and Al-Abbasi City). They were sent to Canada to conduct chemical analyzes in Acme Lab laboratories.) using an ICP-MS device. The research aims to study the geochemical distribution of arsenic in the soil of the study areas, as well as to study the relationships between arsenic and some major oxides, as well as the degree of acidity (pH) and organic matter (OM), by calculating the correlation coefficient and factor analysis. analysis). It was found that the arsenic element is associated with a positive significant relationship with magnesium oxide (MgO), a negative significant relationship with sodium oxide (Na2O) with a value of (-0.454), a positive significant relationship with potassium oxide with a value of (0.47), and a strong positive relationship with the element cobalt (Co) with a value of (0.454). 0.474). According to the results, the average concentration of arsenic in the soil of the study area (Kirkuk, Riyadh, Hawija, and Abbasid) in the fine clay part reached (9.23 ppm), which is higher than its concentration in the coarse parts represented by silt and sand, with a value amounting to (5.83 ppm and 5.72ppm) respectively. The highest concentration of arsenic as in the soil of (MK12), which represents the site of Hay Al-Nasr Hospital, was (8.2 ppm), which is higher than the concentration of the element according to the reference value. When comparing the concentration of arsenic in the soil of the study areas with the international standards (WHO, 2021) and (EPA, 2017), it was found that it was lower than in those areas.