Environmental effects of lead food pollution caused by shadow economies in Rusafa Center for the year 2021

Abstract

Due to the economic crises that Iraq went through through the economic blockade and the subsequent US occupation in 2003, which left an imprint on the lives of low-income individuals, it was negatively reflected in the displacement of the southern governorates towards the capital, Baghdad, in search of job opportunities to meet the requirements of life. Due to the limited income of individuals and the high rates of unemployment, the so-called “shadow economy” or “hidden economy” has spread in the city of Baghdad, especially in the center of Rusafa, which is the investment of the surrounding environment with the simplest ways of living for poor families, which fall below or below the poverty line.The shadow economy is represented by the spread of fixed or mobile vehicles on road sidewalks or in front of shops selling popular foods and juices to reap petty profits, knowing that these activities are not included in the state’s tax account, if the number of vehicles (kiosks) in the Rusafa Center (159). The research included selecting samples from the kiosks amounting to (24) samples for the two seasons of July and January of foods and milk that are most likely to be sold and demanded by citizens to buy them, represented by (falafel, beans, labbi, pastries, sweets, dairy). The summer samples had the highest levels of lead contamination recorded, especially in pastries and sweets, which each recorded (35, 31) mg/kg, respectively, due to their longer exposure to lead contamination. / kg respectively. The decrease in lead rates is due to the high purchasing power of the citizens, which leads to a shorter period of exposure to pollution by car exhaust. A questionnaire was distributed to citizens coming to buy from the kiosks, which amounted to (154), in addition to praising the danger of lead pollution in the light of the statistical data of the Ministry of Health, as well as the interest of the Ministry of Environment and the Municipality of Baghdad in this issue, as the laws and penalties issued against violators were referred to by The owners of the kiosks in the Rusafa Center and their geographical location and the legal effects issued against them.