The atmospheric pollution in Baghdad was investigated by using rainwater as a
media for monitoring of pollution and also compared with the atmosphere pollution at
reference stations of Al-Sulaimaniya in north of Iraq and Al-Rutbah in Western
Desert of Iraq. Rainwater sampling carried out at period extended from Nov. 2007 to
April 2008. Thirty five samples of rainwater were collected at seven monitoring
stations at Baghdad which is industrialized (Abu-Graib, Al-Khadraa, Al-Qadissiya,
Al-Saydiya, Al-Dora, Al-Talbia and Al-Sha'ab), in addition to four samples were
collected from each of Al-Sulaimaniya and Al-Rutbah, a cities which are free from
industrial pollution in purpose to use them as a comparative reference samples.
All samples of rainwater analyzed for Ca2+. Mg2+, Na+, K+, SO4
2-, Cl-, NO3
-., pH,
TDS and EC. The hydrochemical characterization showed high participation of Ca2+
(67%) and Mg2+ (18%) in cations and SO4
2- (50%) and Cl- (29%) in anions. The total
ions mass showed the trend cations and anions as: Ca2+ > SO4
2+> Mg2+ >NO3
- >Cl- >
Na+ > K+.
The pH values of rainwater in Baghdad range from 6.1 to 7.5 and in average of 6.7.
These values obviously refer to high fluctuation of the gases and suspended
particulates in Baghdad atmosphere in comparison with Al-Sulaimaniya and Al-
Rutba. The pH values of rainwater in Al-Sulaimaniya range from 7 to 7.5 with
average of 7.3, and in Al-Rutba range from 7.3 to 7.5 with average of 7.5 indicating
low pH fluctuate and homogenize atmosphere.
The pH value in the rain water in Baghdad tends to be slight acidic nature at the
beginning of the rainfall, but it appears to have less acidity after the washing
processes of atmosphere. The SO4
2+/(NO3
-+Cl-) hydrochemical function suggest that
the natural processes beside the anthropogenic activity are sources of the acidity
صالح محمد عوض | Salih Muhammad Awadh | 11289