Studying the Concentrations of Nitrite and Nitrate of Tigris River Water in Baghdad and Their Suitability to the Conditions Permitted Internationally

Abstract

Abstract Water is the most important natural resources in countries with desert and semi-desert climates like Iraq because it controls the distribution of population and economic activities, especially agriculture. Water pollution is one of the major global problems of the scientific and political community. It threatens health, threatens life, impairs industrial activity and develops civilization. So this work aims to determine the qualitative changes in Tigris River water in Baghdad city through the evaluation of the river water quality in the seasons of the year using the water treatment project (W.T. Projects) operating in Baghdad city as a source of raw water. Samples of water were taken from the same point for four months (January, February, March and April). Seven water stations W.T. Projects were investigated as a fixed site area Al-Wahda, Al-rashed, Al-Karama, Al-Wthba, Al-doura, Al-Qadisiya, Um al-Khanazeer, Shark Dijla and Al-Khademya. The concentrations of nitrate, and nitrite in the water of Tigris River in Baghdad and their suitability to the conditions permitted internationally was tested. The samples of water of Tigris River have been conducted in winter and spring for the year of the study. The results of this work were examined and analyzed and the samples of the water taken and the rivers fed to it and the result of the year 2018 were compared to the data provided by the W.T. Projects for years 2015, 2016 and 2017. Then, the Nitrate and Nitrite were compared with the ratios measured in the past years after taking readings from the concerned departments and ministries for the W.T. projects (Ministry of Environment, Water Resources, and Baghdad Municipality). To do so, an extensive determination of the efficiency of the river’s water and the areas of pollution and identifying ways to reduce the degree of pollution. These tests carried to identify the main environmental problems affecting the quality of Tigris water and finding areas of pollution and thus identify ways to reduce the degree of pollution to reach the best ways to protect the aquatic environment. This work identifies the areas of pollution in water of the river, which will serve as a guide for all workers in this field.