In this study, we performed elemental analysis for floor dust samples collected in Jordanian microenvironments (dwellings and educational building). We performed intercorrelation and cluster analysis between the elemental, polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and microorganism concentrations. In general, the educational building workshops had the highest elemental contamination. The age of the dwelling and its occupancy played a role on the elemental contamination level: older and more occupied dwellingshad greater contamination. The elemental contamination at a dwelling entrance was observed to be higher than in the living room. We found exceptionally high concentrations for Fe and Mn in the educational workshop and additionally, Hg, Cr, and Pb concentrations exceeded the limits set by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. According to the cluster analysis, we found three major groups based on location and contamination. According to the enrichment factor (EF) assessment, Al, Co, Mn, Ti, and Ba had EF < 2 (i.e., minimal enrichment) whereas P, S, Pb, Sb, Mo, Zn, Hg, and Cu had EF > 40 (i.e., extremely enriched). In contrast, Ca and P were geogenically enriched. Furthermore, significant Spearman correlations indicated nine subgroups of elemental contamination combined with PAHs and microbes.

An experimental study was carried out on sediment of five Jordanian dams namely Tannur, Mujib, Karamah, King Talal, and Wadi ElArab to assess the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations by using GC/MS. King Talal dam had highest concentration of all studied pollutants flowed by Wadi ElArab. Both dams are considered most polluted dams, the total PAHs concentration (∑PAHs) was found for both dams as 69.91 ng/g and 35.31 ng/g, respectively, also ∑pg TEQ/g value was found to be 3470.95 and 278.62 for both dams, respectively. The calculated total cancer risk for each dam shows that King Talal dam and Wadi ElArab had highest value which is 2.40304E–05 and 1.92897E–06, respectively. It was found that Tannur, Mujib, and Karamah dams are relatively clean with low pollution level compared to King Talal and Wadi ElArab dams. This is because there are no industrial activities in their surroundings and could also be explained by the fact that these compounds need harder conditions to be synthesized. It was found that source of PAHs in the sediments of all dams is related to pyrolytic processes. This environmental study provides up-to-date data for researchers around the world of PAHs concentrations in Jordanian dams as indicator for pollution and comparison purposes.

This study is the first to determine the concentration for 17 congeners of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and element contamination in poultry that is close to petroleum refinery at Al-Hashemiya Municipality, Zarqa Governorate, Jordan. Ten different samples (chicken) were collected to cover ten different locations of poultry farms in Al-Hashemiya Municipality. These locations are considered polluted areas as a result of exhaust gases produced from the refinery. The 17 PCDD/Fs congeners and elements of Pb, Cd, As, Zn, Cu, Se, Hg, Cr, and Ni were determined for three parts of each sample (liver, muscle, and gizzard). All samples were analyzed for PCDD/Fs after a Soxhlet extraction procedure and cleanup by column chromatography; then, all compounds were identified and determined using GC-MS techniques. The elements were analyzed after digestion and measured using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and validated with the Lab Mix24 RM NCS ZC73016 reference material. The highest total sum concentration of PCDD/Fs was found in liver samples to be 214.07ng/kg (dry weight), while the highest sum of toxicity equivalent to PCDD/Fs of 22.54ng TEQ/kg was found in gizzard samples. For element concentrations, the highest total sum of 16.89mg/kg (dry weight) was found in liver samples. The concentration level of the elements of Se, Hg, Cr, and Ni for all parts of the chicken was within an acceptable range according to Jordanian standards and therefore the measured level of heavy and trace elements in the poultry samples (chicken) does not pose a danger to public health. The chickens found in poultry farms near the refinery are more likely to contain a higher concentration of PCDD/Fs congeners due to exhaust gas exposure.