Evaluation of Water and Sediment Quality of the Tigris River, Baghdad City, Iraq

摘要

Tigris River is one of the largest rivers in Iraq and is considered the main source of drinking water for Baghdad City. With the development of industry, agriculture and the growth of urban population, its pollution has become a serious problem. So it is an important target to evaluate water and sediment quality properties, in addition to analysis of trace metals (Fe+2, Cu+2, Zn+2, Cr+3 and Co+2). Ten representative locations were taken along the river within Baghdad city. It’s noticeable that downstream of the river is more contaminated than locations at the upstream. From AWQI, it is an indicator of good water quality. Heavy metals in water are Nil. While the order of these metals in sediments are; Fe+2> Cu+2> Cr+3 > Zn+2> Co+2. All of the parameters are within the standard limits of WHO (2008) and Iraq standards for drinking water. Pollution load index of metals in sediments give an indication of low pollution level in river sediments. It’s recommended to treat drainage water from point pollution sources along the river, in addition to prevention of discharging drainage water from the agricultural areas directly into the river.