This research study was conducted in Akkar Plain, Tartous Governorate, Syria to investigate the levels of heavy metal pollutants (Ni, Cd, Pb, Co, and Cr) in surface and groundwater. The findings indicated that the concentration of heavy metals exceeded permissible limits due to factors such as the use of fertilizers, uncontrolled sewage pits, the basaltic nature of rocks and soil, and high concentrations of heavy metals in the soil. Additionally, temporal and spatial discrepancies were noted in the distribution of these elements. The study employed a classical R Programming language analysis to assess the correlation between heavy metal concentration in groundwater, soil, and various climatic and geographical parameters. Principal components analysis was also conducted, revealing that Cd, Co, and Cr had a weak negative correlation with the distance to the sea. The principal component analysis for all data demonstrated no correlation between heavy metal concentration in groundwater and soil, except for Ni. The behavior of Cd differed from that of other elements in groundwater, with very low correlation coefficients. The Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) was used to evaluate groundwater quality, revealing that the water was highly polluted with heavy metals. The Hazard Index (HI) indicates that heavy metal pollution in groundwater could pose health risks, particularly to children. Individual Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) showed that cadmium, lead, and nickel could cause cancer, with cadmium posing the highest risk. The spatial maps generated using thin-plate splines (TPS) depicted increased heavy metal pollution in coastal areas, except for Cr. According to the HPI map, groundwater quality declines towards the coast. The HI and ILCR maps indicated that the risk of health effects was highest along the coast but decreased gradually toward inland.
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Keywords: Groundwater, heavy metals, Akkar Plain, pollution, risk management
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