| Popis: |
A short review of the water quality and status of pollution in the waters of the southern marshes of Iraq was discussed in this chapter. It starts with a hydrographical description of this important area for its biodiversity richness and historic cultural activities. Previous and recent scientific articles regarding water quality criteria, productivity and pollution with heavy elements and hydrocarbons were reviewed.Water quality criteria include dissolved oxygen, hardness, salinity, alkalinity and nutrients contents. The marsh water was found hard to very hard, rich in oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Such characters are favorable for fisheries and aquaculture activities. Special attention has been focused on the status of pollution with heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other toxic materials. The concentrations of the dissolved phase of some heavy elements in the marshes were below the permissible limits of drinking water. However, reported values indicate that the Al-Hammar marshland is rich in petroleum hydrocarbons as compared with other marshes. Factors affecting the pollution status and water quality deterioration were critically discussed. |
