Investigation of Water Pollution in the Baghlan River Caused by Dust and Wastewater from the Ghori Cement Factory: A Case Study

Abstract

Rivers are one of the most crucial fluid ecosystems, primarily due to their freshwater content. Understanding the trends in water quality changes in seas enables the anticipation of future challenges and the implementation of plans to address them. Water quality management necessitates the collection and analysis of a vast amount of data and water quality parameters. To facilitate this, various tools have been developed for simpler assessment of data and water quality, among which water quality indices are highly utilized. The objective of this study is to assess the water quality of the Balkh Sea using the (IRWQISC) and (IRWQIST) indices, alongside examining the levels of heavy metals, cations, anions, and its physical characteristics. Sampling was conducted at two time points: initially in October 2022, with heavy metal analysis performed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS), and subsequently in April 2023, where samples were collected from various points, and the concentrations of cations, anions, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 26, and ArcGIS 10.4.1 was employed for map production. The research findings indicate a trend of heavy metal changes as follows: Al>As>Pb>Cd>(Cr=Co=Ni)>Hg. Based on the calculation of the toxicity index (IRWQIST), the studied water falls into the poor category. Consequently, sea water, due to the presence of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury, is relatively to very toxic and unsuitable for drinking. Additionally, it may cause detrimental effects for other uses such as agriculture and livestock farming.