Investigating Atmospheric Metal Pollution in Khartoum North (Bahri), Sudan Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

In the present study, aerosol samples were collected from an outdoor industrial area and selected streets in Khartoum North. Air pollution is a massive problem due to its harmful health effects on human populations. This study investigates the distribution of heavy metals and associated health risks in three diverse areas of Khartoum North city in central Sudan. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to analyze the aerosol samples, and an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spectrometer was employed to validate the measurements. The analysis of pollution-related conflicts over air quality in Khartoum is conducted using LIBS and ICP techniques, which provide new insights into the effects of industrial and sub-Saharan dust on human health. The results showed good agreement between the two techniques. Examining how these elements are distributed in the environment helps identify pollution sources, track their movement through the atmosphere, and assess their ecological impact. The results highlight significant variations in heavy metal concentrations across the studied regions, with sandstorms in the area exhibiting higher pollution levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed distinct metals: Cu1.9 µg/m3, Cr 0.47 µg/m3, Fe 36.86 µg/m3, Ca 87.44 µg/m3, and Pb 6.87 µg/m3, indicating contributions from anthropogenic emissions, traffic activities, Saharan dust, and natural sources. To present the t-test values for the elements from 8.3 to 11.09, with the highest Cr value of 79.46 and a PCA mean variance % of 64.99, the study highlights the ingredient concentrations. However, this task shows that the average concentrations of elements in Khartoum North's ambient air are more consistent with global statistics from similar regions in many countries.