Estimation of concentrations of some heavy metals in the fruits of Sidr plant( Ziziphus spina – Christi) grown in Nasiriyah, Iraq

Abstract

Different samples of Sidr fruit were collected from different locations in Nasiriyah city, Iraq, and a control sample from the countryside. Location was considered the primary factor and fruit parts the second factor in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results showed that all three studied sites—the first site, located near a power plant, the second near gas stations, and the third, located in the city center—contained high concentrations of heavy elements (lead, cadmium, and nickel) above the international standards permitted in fruit (WHO or FAO). The fourth site, located outside the city in a village and used as a reference site for comparison with the other sites, contained concentrations of heavy elements within the internationally permitted ranges. Furthermore, higher concentrations of heavy elements were found in the fruit peels than in the pulp.