Detail Publikasi
Abstrak
Heavy metal pollution is a serious issue affecting many rivers in Iraq, especially the Tigris River. Wastewater from factories, farms, and homes flows into the river without treatment. This has increased the levels of harmful metals such as cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). These metals are dangerous because they do not break down. They stay in water and living organisms, causing damage over time. Many traditional methods for removing these metals are costly, slow, or need advanced tools. In this study, a new nanocomposite was tested for its ability to clean polluted river water. The material is made from chitosan, lignin, and imidazole. It is natural, low-cost, and easy to prepare. Water samples were taken from six points along the Tigris River in Wasit Governorate. Three points were near each other, and the other three were farther away. Each 500 mL sample was treated with 100 mg of the nanocomposite and shaken for 2 hours. The concentrations of cadmium and lead were measured before and after treatment using ICP-OES. The results showed that cadmium was reduced by 50%, and lead by 60%. The nanocomposite had a high adsorption capacity: 55.56 mg/g for cadmium and 65.79 mg/g for lead. It reached balance in only 120 minutes. When compared to activated carbon and modified nano-cellulose, this new material worked faster and captured more metal. These findings show the composite can be used for fast, affordable water treatment. It may help reduce metal pollution in Iraq’s rivers and beyond.