Levels of Heavy Metals in Wastewater Inlets in the Cites of Heet, Rammadi, and Fallujah in Iraq

The research aimed to assess the concentration of Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in wastewater in three cities in the Anbar governorate (Heet, Ramadi, and Fallujah) in Iraq. The water samples were collected from four wastewater inlets in these cities in June 2023, and the concentration of Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in them were measured using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The obtained results showed that measured metal concentration means take the following descending order: Cr > Co > Pb > Ni > Cd > . This means that the concentration of all the heavy metals (except Zn) in the wastewater in the study area exceeds Iraqi and United States Environmental Protection Agency standards. A correlation matrix analysis showed a significant positive correlation between Pb and Zn (p < 0.05). This correlation is interpreted in the context of a common source or origin. The study found that the concentration of Cd, Co, Cr, and Ni decreased in the wastewater at the inlet in Fallujah. The concentration of Pb and Zn. The spatial distribution showed a similar pattern for the concentration of Pb and Zn, and this may reflect the same sources that release them. This study recommends that, for environmental sustainability, plants be established for treating wastewater before its release into the Euphrates River.