A master's thesis in the Department of Ecology at the College of Science, University of Basra, investigated the impact of petroleum compounds on wheat and barley crops in northern Basra Governorate.

The study, presented by student Fatima Ihsan Kadhim, aimed to determine the extent of the impact of petroleum compounds on wheat and barley crops in various locations in northern Basra Governorate, and the nutritional safety and suitability of these crops for consumption. The thesis concluded that most of the soil and the entire plant of the wheat and barley crops are contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, and found that the source of the pollution is primarily petroleum-based, with some biological sources contributing. The thesis recommended not planting important crops near pollution sources, allocating agricultural land farther away, and conducting tests on crops to prevent their transfer to humans and their impact on health, potentially leading to various diseases, especially cancer.