The hydrochemistry of Euphrates River in the
study area which extended from Hit to Al-Saqlawia was
studied in order to determine the physical, chemical, and
biological properties in addition to the radiation level.
Thirty-one stations along the Euphrates River were chosen,
17 of them represented the Euphrates River itself, whereas the
other stations are considered as point pollution sources which
all empty their load directly in the Euphrates River with an
average total discharge of 32 m3/s. Twenty-eight samples of
the Euphrates water of both high- and low-flow periods were
analyzed for cations (Ca2+,Mg2+, Na+, andK+), anions (SO4
0,
Cl−, CO30, HCO3−, NO3−, PO4
−3), H2S boron, dissolved
oxygen, biological oxygen demand, bacteriological tests, radiation
levels in addition to physical parameters such as hydrogen
number (pH), total dissolved solid, electrical
conductivity, total suspended solid, and temperature. This
study showed that the cations and anions during periods of
high and low flows are within acceptable limit with exceptional
Cl−. Hydrochemical formula during the high flow was
Na-Ca-Mg-Cl-SO4, then it changed into Na-Ca-Mg-HCO3-
SO4-Cl during the low-flow period. The average output cations
and anions at downstream (Saqlawiya area) was relatively
higher than those of input at upstream (Hit area); this attributed
to the natural and anthropogenic activities originated
mainly from agricultural activity and population communities
around the river. Radiation level for 212Pb, 214Pb, 40k, 220Ac,
and 214Bi showed that the higher level of radiation is concentrated
within sediment rather than in water, but the radiation in
both is within acceptable limit.
صالح محمد عوض | Salih Muhammad Awadh | 11552