Assessment of Chromium, Cadmium and Lead Concentrations in Former Quarries Substrates Using Spectrophotometer and Pollution Indices

Abstract

Quarries are regarded as crucial cornerstones of national economic development in Palestine. But they also have detrimental effects on the ecosystem and biological resources. Determination of the amount of heavy metals (chromium, cadmium, and lead) in quarries stumps is the main objective of the current research study. To accomplish this, 20 quarry stump samples were collected from four distinct regions of the Hebron Governorate in Palestine, using the quadrat method, and they were afterward calorimetrically assessed using a UV-visible spectrophotometer and pollution indices. The results reveal that the stumps possess Cr and Pb concentration below the international declared levels (1–1000 mg/l and 15–40 mg/l, respectively), while the Cd is above the declared level (0.2 mg/kg). The Cr and Pb content ranges from 0.128 to 0.611 mg/L and 0.125 to 0.779 mg/L, respectively. On contrary, the Cd contents varies from 0.362 to 8.572 mg/L in Hebron governorate. This level of Cd content, somehow, locate above their declared level by the international standards. In addition, the heavy metals content seems to be site-specific in the selected regions in Hebron governorate. The risk of cadmium is due to its high concentration, while the risk of Pb is because of its high toxicity. Moreover, the four regions are considered as uncontaminated and are clean based on PI Nemerow for Cr and Pb, but not for Cd. In conclusion, working on quarries in Hebron governorate is still safe from the levels of heavy metals point of view. However, more control and restriction must be implanted in order to mitigate its environmental and health consequences. Moreover, more research is needed to assess the occurrence of other heavy metals and their consequences on biological life and environmental issues.