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Assessment of Seasonal and Spatial Variation of Heavy Metals Concentrations in Shatt Al-Arab River, Basrah, Iraq |
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| รหัสดีโอไอ | |
| Creator | D.A. Al-Abbawy |
| Title | Assessment of Seasonal and Spatial Variation of Heavy Metals Concentrations in Shatt Al-Arab River, Basrah, Iraq |
| Contributor | Z.H. Al-Silawy, H.K.H. Al-Mahmood |
| Publisher | Thai Society of Higher Education Institutes on Environment |
| Publication Year | 2568 |
| Journal Title | EnvironmentAsia |
| Journal Vol. | 18 |
| Journal No. | 2 |
| Page no. | 131-143 |
| Keyword | Heavy metals, Surface water, Shatt Al-Arab River, Mercury, Lead, Copper |
| URL Website | http://www.tshe.org/ea/index.html |
| Website title | EnvironmentAsia |
| ISSN | 1906-1714 |
| Abstract | Heavy metal contamination in Shatt Al-Arab River poses significant environmental andpublic health challenges in Basrah Province, Iraq. This study aimed to evaluate the seasonaland spatial variation in total concentrations of heavy metals, including Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb)and Mercury (Hg) at five stations along Shatt Al-Arab River from July 2023 to May 2024.Water samples from surface and bottom layers were analyzed using Inductively CoupledPlasma (ICP) spectrometry. The statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA(p ? 0.05) to assess variations by station, season, and depth between the surface and the maximumdepth at each location. Tukey's Honest significant difference was performed to identify groupdifferences. Results revealed temporal and spatial fluctuations in total dissolved solids (TDS),with northern and central stations exhibiting consistent levels, while Al-Fao station (SouthernBasrah Province) recorded the highest TDS during summer, and Al-Qurna station (NourhernBasrah Province) showed the lowest across all seasons. Electrical conductivity and TDS atAl-Fao station exceeded permissible limits, highlighting significant pollution. Reduced riverflow, tributary interruption, increased evaporation, and seawater intrusion, exacerbated waterquality degradation. Results indicated that Cu was the most abundant element, with a maximumconcentration of 0.1 mg/L, while Pb slightly exceeded permissible drinking water limits, andHg values consistently surpassed safe thresholds. Heavy metal concentrations were higher atgreater depths, with seasonal and spatial variability observed. The stations were classified asexperiencing low to moderate heavy metal pollution, with industrial activities, oil extraction,diminished freshwater discharge, and seawater intrusion identified as key contributors. Thisstudy underscores the urgent need for sustainable water management strategies to mitigatethe compounded effects of anthropogenic pressures on Shatt Al-Arab River water quality andecosystem health. |
