Evaluation of Air Pollution with NO2, SO2, and PM2.5 in Nasiriyah City Center, South of Iraq

Jamal S. Abd  Al Rukabie; Monim H.  Al-Jiboori; Hussein Kh.  Chlaib

doi:10.24996/ijs.2026.67.4.32

Authors

Jamal S. Abd Al Rukabie Department of Science, College of Basic Education, University of Sumer, Thi-Qar, Iraq
Monim H. Al-Jiboori Department of Atmospheric Sciences, College of Basic Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0816-3918
Hussein Kh. Chlaib Department of Soil Sciences and Water Resources, College of Agriculture, University of Sumer, Thi Qar, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8735-7616

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24996/ijs.2026.67.4.32

Keywords:

Pollution roses, Air pollutants, Nasiriyah city center, Air quality index

Abstract

Air pollution is considered one of the most dangerous types of pollution because of the problems and risks it causes to living organisms on the surface of the Earth. This paper studied the emission of air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, NO₂, sulfur dioxide, SO₂, and particulate matter PM_2.5) in the city center of Nasiriyah. The data were taken from the European Mediterranean Weather Forecast (ECMWF) during the year (2022). The pollutant roses were plotted, which show the most pollutant source from the northwest direction of the electric power plant in the city and another source from the south (Nasiriyah refinery and Saba oil field). The daily rates of NO₂, SO₂ and PM_2.5 concentrations (in µg/m³) were studied and evaluated during the four months. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was calculated and the results showed that the NO₂ and SO₂ categories were good while for PM_2.5was unhealthy for people with respiratory diseases and unhealthy causing the daily AQI (160 µg/m³ as the annual mean) to be high in 2022.