Evaluation of Water Quality in Al-Dalmaj Marsh Environment by Using some Pollution Indicators

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, water was sampled in ten sites of the Dalmaj marsh in Iraq. Using a pollution index, total concentrations of heavy metals were evaluated to look into their distributions and pollution levels. The degree of pollution of water for cadmium, lead, chromium and iron was assessed using the heavy metals pollution index (HPI) and heavy metals evaluation index (HEI) and contamination degree (CD). Results showed that by using pollution indexes, the HPI, HEI, and CD were classified as medium to high in all sites. The water of the marsh was more contaminated because of the continuous addition of these metals imported from discharges of wastes to the Euphrates River that ends up on this marshland water surface. Thus, it confirms that there was a potential contamination of heavy metals, especially in water and sediments. These concentrations need more attention and consideration to either maintain the low level of heavy metals or keep them even lower.