Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Indoor Dust in Erbil City

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.12215

Keywords:

Hazard index, Hazard quotient, Health risk, Heavy metal, Indoor dust

Abstract

Indoor dust is a significant source of heavy metal exposure, posing potential health risks to residents. This study investigates the concentration and possible health risks of heavy metals in household dust in Erbil City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and assesses the associated health risks. 123 indoor dust samples were collected from various residential areas and analyzed using Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, an advanced technique that enables precise elemental detection. The metals assessed included aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb). The highest mean concentrations were observed for aluminum (Al), particularly in the Northwest region (29209 mg/kg), while lead (Pb) exhibited the lowest concentration in the same Northwest region (28 mg/kg). Notably, elevated levels of titanium (Ti) were detected in the northern area, and cadmium (Cd) was most pronounced in the Northeast, reflecting spatial variation potentially linked to traffic emissions, construction activity, and indoor smoking. To evaluate the potential health implications, hazard quotients and hazard indices (HI) are calculated for both children and adults, focusing on non-carcinogenic risks through inhalation exposure in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Although localized HQ values were higher for certain elements, such as Ti and Cd, all calculated HI values remained below the threshold value of 1. This indicates that under current environmental conditions, indoor dust in Erbil City is unlikely to pose significant non-carcinogenic health risks through inhalation.

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Author Biographies

Nadia M. Shami, Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Nadia M. Shami has a B.Sc. degree in Physics from the College of Science and Health at Koya University. Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s degree in Physics at Salahaddin University. her academic interests have evolved toward environmental and health-related topics, and her current research focuses on the health risk assessment of heavy metals in indoor dust. 

Sardar P. Yaba, Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Sardar P. Yaba is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics, College of Education, Salahaddin University. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in Physics, his M.Sc. degree in Medical Physics, and his Ph.D. in Medical Physics. His research interests include medical image processing, radiation protection, and radiation dosimeters.

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Published

2025-08-09

How to Cite

Shami, N. M. and Yaba, S. P. (2025) “Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Indoor Dust in Erbil City”, ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY, 13(2), pp. 100–107. doi: 10.14500/aro.12215.
Received 2025-04-17
Accepted 2025-07-01
Published 2025-08-09

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