Seasonal Variation and Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metals in Groundwater: Implications for Water Quality and Health Risks

Authors

Muzhda Qasim Qader, Department of Public Health, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, IraqFollow
Shevan Jamel Jirjees, Department of Earth Sciences and Petroleum, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, IraqFollow
Masoud H. Hameed, Department of Earth Sciences and Petroleum, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, IraqFollow
Chiyai Maroof Sharif, Department of Environmental Science and Health, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, IraqFollow

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated the seasonal and spatial distribution of twelve heavy metals in the groundwater samples collected in fifty wells with the aim of assessing the quality of water and health hazards associated with it. The data were analyzed to compare the wet and dry seasons were the analytical data using pollution indices, the Nemerow Pollution Index (NPI), and the Single-Factor Pollution Index (SFPI). The results revealed that the water quality was mainly excellent (NPI < 0.01) even though in some areas, lead, vanadium, and copper were contaminated. Arsenic (0.0008–0.0145 μg/L), chromium (0.0009–0.0096 μg/L), and nickel (

Keywords

Groundwater contamination, Geospatial analysis, Health risk assessment, Seasonal variability

Subject Area

Biology

Article Type

Article

First Page

884

Last Page

902

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite this Article

Qader, Muzhda Qasim; Jirjees, Shevan Jamel; Hameed, Masoud H.; and Sharif, Chiyai Maroof (2026) "Seasonal Variation and Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metals in Groundwater: Implications for Water Quality and Health Risks," Baghdad Science Journal: Vol. 23: Iss. 3, Article 12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21123/2411-7986.5243