MUSCAT: A recent study conducted by Dr Hilal Khalfan al Shidi, Senior Lecturer at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS), focused on assessing heavy metal concentrations in road dust samples across Muscat.
The research, titled 'Heavy metals levels in road dust from Muscat, Oman: Relationship with traffic volumes, and ecological and health risk assessments,' aimed to understand the environmental and health risks associated with different traffic levels.
For this investigation, Dr Al Shidi and his team collected dust samples from roads classified based on traffic volumes—low, medium, and high—in Muscat, Oman. The samples underwent detailed analysis for the presence of various metals, including arsenic, copper, lead, mercury, iron, and zinc.
The findings unveiled a notable variation in heavy metal concentrations across the samples. Mercury and iron, in particular, exhibited the lowest and highest concentrations, ranging from ppm 0.59 to 0.80 and ppm 406.10 to 429.00, respectively.
Interestingly, mercury and arsenic not only demonstrated increasing trends from low to high traffic categories but also displayed significant correlations with each other and traffic volumes. This correlation suggested a potential origin of these metals from vehicular emissions.
Assessments based on the potential ecological Risk Index (RI) indicated a considerable level of risk associated with selected metals in the dust samples. However, the Hazard Index (HI) remained within the safe threshold value (HI < 1), implying a lower risk to human health.
While the study implied minor prejudicial health risks to the general public, it underscored the potential vulnerability of children to the impact of metals associated with dust. Dr Hilal recommended a thorough evaluation of heavy metal presence in dust and an understanding of their ecological and health risks, emphasizing the importance of informing appropriate environmental policies to address particulate matter emissions.
The outcomes of this research project were published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, and the collaborative effort involved Dr Al Shidi, Dr Hassan al Reasi, and Dr Hameed Sulaiman.
Dr Al Shidi's research provides insights into the complex interplay between traffic, heavy metal concentrations in road dust, and potential environmental and health risks. The findings call for proactive measures to mitigate the impact of particulate matter emissions, particularly in urban areas with varying traffic intensities.
Caption:
Dr Hilal Khalfan al Shidi
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