Assessment of industrial effluent impacts on soil physiochemical properties in Kwashe Industrial Area, Iraq Kurdistan Region.

The present investigation was conducted to assess the quality of industrial effluents of Kwashe industrial area in Kurdistan region, Iraq and evaluate the potential effects of these effluents on the quality of soil. Industrial effluents samples were collected at from the discharge point of various industries including (oil refineries, plastic, paper and printing, steel, aluminum, leather tanning, paint, food, detergent, fertilizer, construction, nylons, metals pipe, chemical, asphalt and petroleum product) at three different locations and analyzed for various physic-chemical characteristic. Soil samples were collected from different fields and analyzed for several soil properties. Result revealed; nearly almost physicochemical characteristics of industrial effluents are higher than the permissible levels of worldwide standard. Result also shows that the quality of industrial effluents is significantly deteriorated much more with the distance it passes through two plains in the region. Almost soil properties are negatively affected by effluents, organic matter in the soil affected by industrial effluents is higher 5 times greater than the normal range of organic matter in the soil due to the continuous deposition of petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil. Soil content of macronutrients is significantly affected by industrial effluents. Significant correlation between some studied soil parameters were found as determination coefficients (R²) are highly significant (P<0.01).