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Abstract: Street dust samples were collected from two main streets in Mutah City, Karak, Jordan. The samples analyzed for Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ni, and showed remarkably high levels of Fe, Zn, Mn, Pb and Cu. in the Mutah dusts. The samples from Mazar-Karak Street had higher heavy metal concentrations than those from University Street especially for Fe, Pb, Cu and Ni. Contents of Zn, Cu, Ni, and Fe in the industrial areas were greater than those from the commercial and residential areas. Discernible variations in Pb contents were recognized between two streets. Increases in these anthropogenic trace metals in the surface environment can most likely be attributed to rapid urbanization cars repairing centers and increased vehicle emissions to the atmosphere occur mainly in industrial areas. However, Pb contamination in the Mutah dusts is probably caused by Pb particles from vehicle emissions. The accuracy of the results has been cheeked using the standard reference material, SRM (soil-7). In addition some heavy metals have been analyzed in different laboratories. The results showed good precision and accuracy with a relative error of less than 3%.

Keyword: heavy metals; dust; AAS; Jordan; pollution