The current study estimated the concentrations of air pollutants such as Carbone monoxide (CO), Carbone dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), Particulate matter (PM10) and total hydrocarbons (THCs) in addition to air temperature and wind speed in Al Nasiriya City. Also, it evaluated the concentrations of some heavy metals such as Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni) and Cadmium (Cd) in soils and in two genus of plants leaves ( Phenoix dactylifera and Ziziphus sp) in Al Nasiriya city in the southern of Iraq.
The current study results indicated a spatial and temporal variation in the mean concentrations of gases pollutants in Al Nasiriya City. It was found that the highest mean concentration of CO 1.33 ppm was in the third station in the autumn season, while the lowest mean concentration was in the fifth station in the spring. As for CO2, the highest mean concentration 474.9 ppm was in the spring season in the fourth station and the lowest 341 ppm in the winter season in the fifth station.
For SO2, the highest mean concentration 0.077 ppm was at station two in the summer season and the lowest mean was at station five in spring. While, the highest mean value for O3 0.054 ppm was in the summer season at station three and the lowest 0.013 ppm was at station five in both spring and winter season. For PM10, the highest mean concentration 345 µg/m3 was at station two in the summer season and the lowest 64 µg/m3 was at station five in winter. Finally, for THCs, stations three recorded the highest mean concentration 3.89 ppm in the spring, while, the lowest mean of THCs 2.0 ppm was at station five in spring and summer.
Generally, the levels of air pollution such as CO, SO2, and O3 are within the international and Iraqi standards, while PM10 were above the international and Iraqi standards and CO2 above the WHO standards.
The current study recommended conducting further studies for all gases air polluting in different places in Nasiriya city, in order to determine the most polluted areas and improve the air quality there.
