M. Karimizadeh - Department of Environmental Engineering, Khuzestan Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
K. Payandeh - Department of Soil Science, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

This study was conducted in ۲۰۱۷ with the aim of determining the distribution of heavy metals lead, nickel, cadmium, vanadium and the parameters of acidity, electrical conductivity and organic matter in the surface soils of the city of Khorramabad. Sampling was performed monthly from ۱۲ stations and was repeated ۳ times in the autumn. The highest amount of cadmium was observed in the soil samples of industrial areas of the city in the two sampling periods of October and December to be ۷ ppm. A comparison of the mean measured values of heavy elements showed that the highest average amounts of heavy elements are in industrial areas and the lowest in residential areas. The lowest amount was measured in ۸th and ۱۱th stations at ۲ ppm. The highest amount of lead in the ۶th station, a bustling area, was measured to be ۲۲ ppm. The average nickel in industrial areas was higher than other areas. In industrial area, during the sampling period of October, its amount was determined to be ۵۸ mg/kg. The highest amount of vanadium was recorded in staion۹ at ۵۲ mg/kg. Lead has a significant correlation with nickel, cadmium and soil acidity. This correlation is ۰.۰۱% for acidity and cadmium variables and ۰.۰۳% for nickel. Nickel has a significant correlation with cadmium and vanadium at the level of ۰.۰۱%. The results indicate that the surface soil of the city of Khorramabad is not contaminated with the studied metals. In general, the results showed that both human and natural factors are always involved in the distribution and concentration of heavy metals.

Electrical conductivity, heavy metals, Khorramabad, Soil pollution, Toxicity