Determination of Some Trace Elements in Aquatic Samples from Khabur River-Iraq by Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy and some other Parameters

Abstract

This research aims to examine heavy metals contents and environmental risk in the Khabur river water in Zakho-Iraq. Ten different locations were selected on the Khabur River from the beginning of its entrance into the Kurdistan region until it overlapped with the Tigris River at the triple border point (Iraq, Surya, and Turkey). Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved salts, and turbidity were tested locally in the field. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), flame photometer, and titration methods were used to analyses twenty-five metals in water samples. It was found that some heavy metals are undetectable such as Boron, Cadmium, Beryllium, Nickel, antimony, and selenium. Chromium was found in only one location with a concentration of 0.002 mg/L. Aluminum was found at higher than the acceptable levels in two areas with concentrations (0.215 and 0.1893 mg/L). Also, in two other points, Iron was found to be higher than the permissible level (0.397 and 0.311 mg/L). According to Iraqi and World Health Organization standards, other heavy metals were less than the affected value. The Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated to evaluate water quality; the results shown water in one of the locations of the Khabur river was poor in quality, yet in other locations, it was good.