Assessing Heavy Metal Concentration in the Soil and Plants of Surroundings Khuzestan Steel Factory

The objective of this study was to investigate the  concentration of heavy metals, dispersed from Khuzestan Steel factory, in the soil and various plants  of surrounding area. For this purpose, the Leaves samples from trees, shrubs, grass and soil samples from their rhizospheres were collected in dominated and opposite wind direction from the factory. Plant samples were divided into two groups; of which one group was washed with distilled water and HCl and another was not washed. Heavy metal concentrations (Fe, Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn) were measured in plant and soil samplesby flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results showed that the heavy metals concentration in plants in wind direction is almost 1.5 times more than the opposite direction. Airborne metal deposition has occurred in this region because the heavy metal concentrations in unwashed samples were more than the ones in washed samples. Based on the results obtained from this study, it can be concluded that Khuzestan steel factory activity is one of the pollution  sources in the proposed region which threated the environment of Ahvaz.