Determination and Analysis of Heavy Metals Concentration in Indoor Dust Samples in Building Material Factories in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq

The purpose of this study is to determine and analyze the concentrations of heavy metals such as cooper (Cu), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) in indoor dust samples in 9 types of building material factories: Cement, gypsum, gypsum board, red brick, concrete block, tile, marble, behaton (paving slabs), and stone crusher in 28 various factory locations in Sulaymaniyah governorate-Iraqi Kurdistan by using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy technique. Standard levels of heavy metals in dust samples vary depending on the country, organization, and specific guidelines being referenced. There is no universal standard, but regulatory bodies such as the world health organization (WHO), the U.S. environmental protection agency (EPA), and the European union (EU) have set recommended limits for heavy metal concentrations in dust, soil, and airborne particulates, such as (Pb) 50-500 ppm, (Cd) 1-10 ppm, (As) 5-50 ppm, and (Cr) 10-100 ppm. In this study, the cement factory exhibited the highest levels of Cu (156.50 ± 16.26 ppm), Pb (89.90 ± 1.41 ppm), Cr (52.30 ± 4.95), Cd (59.40 ± 3.54 ppm), Hg (6.85 ± 0.24 ppm), and as (40.40 ± 3.54 ppm). In contrast, gypsum board factories consistently displayed the lowest concentrations of most of heavy metals, with Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg, and as values at 23.60 ± 0.30 ppm, 1.75 ± 0.93 ppm, 0.64 ± 0.13 ppm,1.39 ± 0.25 ppm, 0.20 ± 0.01 ppm, and 1.80 ± 0.22 ppm, respectively.