Determination of Environmental Factors on some Water and Sediments Quality Parameters of Eastern Al-Hammar Marsh

Abstract

The research aims to identify the most important environmental factors that affect some of the water quality and sediment characteristics of the Eastern Al-Hammar marsh by evaluating their concentrations and comparing them with national and international limits. Water samples and sediments were collected from different sites of Al-Mashab Marsh within the Eastern Al-Hammar marsh during the winter and summer seasons of 2019. The sample sites included some sites affected by the oil activities within the marsh boundaries, and water samples from the Al-Badaa channel, which produces drinking water for Al-Basra Governorate. The field measurements included measurement of the (Temp., pH, TDS, EC, S%, Turb.), while the laboratory measurements included (TSS, COD, OC), and measuring of the concentrations of the heavy elements in water and sediments marsh such as (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, Mg, Cd, Ni).The results showed that the water marsh is alkaline (pH more than 7) and has EC; TDS, and salinity that exceed the permissible limits, which indicates it’s unfit for human consumption. Also, this study showed a definite increase in all the measured physical variables in the summer season as a result of the impact of climate changes and the quality of the Main Outfall Drain (MOD) water which supplier some areas of marshes, in addition to the effect of oil installations discharges. The concentrations of heavy elements were within the permissible limits in the water, except for Pb and Cr elements were their increased concentrations in the water are due to the wastewater quality effect of the oil installations that discharge to the marshes, and the impact of human activities and the MOD water quality. The current study indicated evident seasonal changes in heavy element concentrations between the summer and winter seasons. There were high concentrations of heavy elements in the marsh water in the winter (February) compared with the summer season (August) due to the increased activities and works of oil installations in the study area, and rainwater. The concentrations of heavy elements in marsh sediments were higher than the permissible limits, and this means they are contaminated by these measured elements due to what is added to it from the neighboring areas, specifically the nearby oil installation discharges, and also the impact of human activities and the MOD water quality.