Abstract
Although the earth crust is not rich with Lead element but large quantities have been released into environment as a result of humanity activities in particular through the last decades. Consumption of gasoline plays a rule in increasing the concentration levels in the atmosphere in radical change, that cease of using fuel type leaded gasoline in vehicles such as tetraethyl lead (TEL) and tetramethyl lead (TML) to improve the octane number and as an inhibitor to knocking phenomenon that happened in gasoline engines.
Our research aimed to determine concentration levels of lead in gasoline available in the local gasoline stations in Baghdad city and its impact on the environment.
Eleven gasoline samples were gathered from gasoline stations spreading in Baghdad city. Six of which in Karkh site: Al-Autaifaih, Al-Hurai, Al-Latifaih, Al-Yarmook, Mulla-Howaish, and Umo-Altobule gasoline stations. And other five in Rusafa site: Al-Solaikh, Vegetable Oils, Al-Kamalai, Al-Saadre City, and Al-Kailany gasoline stations.
In this research the reaction of alkyl lead compound with solution of tricaprylmethyl ammonium chloride ( Aliquat 336 ) and iodine I2 that dissolved in isobutyl ketone (MIBK) have been used to increase the stability of lead ions in the samples solutions that were subjected to tests using atomic absorption (AAS) technique. Standard calibration curve for lead has been drawn, so by using the rectilinear equation for the given standard curve the level of total alkyl lead in gasoline samples was estimated.
By this work it was found that the content of alkyl lead in some gasoline samples approaches the 7 mg/L or the gasoline lead free ( references of this research ) and other samples below this range, whereas the higher concentration in samples that were subjected to test have been denoted to pollution to the gasoline was occurred from previous additions. Our research references also denoted that concentration of 500 mg/L of alkyl lead must be added to the gasoline fuel in order to increase its performance.
Using the procedure that has been used in our work the minimum level of alkyl lead in gasoline samples was found equal to 0.17 mg/L and the maximum value of alkyl lead was found equal to 43.69 mg/L. These levels of alkyl lead found in our research are below the natural additions that give higher performance of gasoline product toward vehicles of gasoline engines
