تحقيقات جغرافيايی (Apr 2020)

Environmental of Aras River Environmental Pollution

  • Ebrahim Safizadeh,
  • Daryoush Karimi,
  • Hamid Reza Ghafarzadeh,
  • Seyed Abbas Poorhashemi

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 35, no. 2
pp. 167 – 176

Abstract

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Aims & Backgrounds: The purpose of this study is to investigate the environmental impacts of Aras River pollution. Methodology: First, the physicochemical properties of river water were measured in the vicinity of industrial zones. This is an applied survey carried out through sampling and laboratory experiments. Sampling was performed from mid-2018 to mid-2019 and at selected stations. Three water samples were taken at each station. Atomic absorption spectroscopy. The concentrations of Nitrate, Nitrite, and TDS were measured with a spectrophotometer. Calcium, Sodium, and Potassium concentrations were measured using Flame Photometer and the remainder were measured by professional devices. All sampling process was repeated four times and the average number was recorded for each station. Findings: The results showed that the lowest recorded electrical conductivity was 0.789 while the highest was 2.346 ds / m, unsuitability of soil, and water for irrigation. The measured total solids content was 1211 mg / l indicates a moderate limitation in terms of salinity. The average recorded pH was 8.17, which is within the national permitted range and standard of the World Health Organization. The concentration of Nitrate and Nitrite is more than the maximum amount of the permitted range. The concentration of Potassium is in the standard range. According to the obtained mean (64 mg / l), the concentration of Calcium and Cadmium is within both national permitted range and international standard range, eith64mg/1, and 0.8 μg/1, respectively. While that of Lead (μg / l 0.09) is just within the standard range. Conclusion: Discharge of agricultural, industrial, and municipal wastewater into the river in upper parts of the study area is the biggest threat to the lower parts environment.

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