Assessment and Evaluation of Heavy Metals pollution in the Tigris River/ Baghdad City/ Iraq

Master’s Discussion

The College of Science for Women, University of Baghdad discussed the master’s thesis entitled (Assessment and Evaluation of Heavy Metals pollution in the Tigris River / Baghdad City/Iraq), presented by (Esraa Abd AL Ghafoor Mohammed),in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master’s in biology/Ecology, under the supervision of Prof. Dr.Jinan Shawi Al-Hassany.

Objectives of the Thesis

The thesis aimed to determine the levels and distribution of the selected heavy metals (Fe, Pb, Ni, and Cd) in water and sediments of the Tigris River, assess Iraqi Water Quality Index (IWQI) for different water uses, evaluate heavy-metal pollution using environmental indices, and investigate the potential effects of heavy-metal contamination on aquatic life. The study was conducted at three stations in Baghdad—Al-Jadriya, Al-Doura, and Al-Muthanna Bridge—during the dry and wet seasons of 2024–2025, with analyses of water, sediment fractions, and the aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demersum.

Content of the Thesis

The thesis concluded that physicochemical parameters and heavy-metal concentrations showed substantial seasonal and regional variation, with many water-quality parameters and ecological indices increasing during the wet season, particularly at Station 2, suggesting greater human influence. Cadmium (Cd) was the most polluted metal and had the greatest ecological impact. Exchangeable fractions of Fe, Pb, Ni, and Cd in sediments, together with their accumulation in C. demersum, indicated active metal mobility and bioavailability. Pollution indices (PI, CF, MI, PLI, and Kd) classified several stations as moderately to strongly contaminated, while the IWQI ranked the river water as poor during multiple sampling periods. The results also highlighted continued discharge of untreated wastewater and sediment disturbance associated with construction activities, indicating long-term ecological and public-health risks.

Recommendation of the Thesis

The thesis recommended strengthening continuous monitoring of physicochemical parameters and heavy metals across all seasons; investigating native aquatic plants, particularly Ceratophyllum demersum, for phytoremediation; enhancing environmental governance and public awareness of heavy-metal risks; and developing GIS mapping, local heavy-metal databases, human-health risk assessment, biomonitoring using aquatic plants and fish, and AI-assisted long-term monitoring. It also recommended integrating AI-based prediction models with long-term monitoring of physicochemical, sediment, and biological variables to improve heavy-metal pollution assessment and sustainable river management.

Grad of the Thesis