Monthly monitoring of physicochemical and radiation properties of Kufa River, Iraq

Abstract

Increasing anthropogenic activities can lead to a dramatic effect on the quality of the planet surface water such as river, lake and wetland among others (i.e. groundwater and atmospheric water). Water samples were collected from Kufa river during six months (i.e. started from November, 2015 to April, 2016). Six stations were selected alongside the river flow. The samples were analysed for physico- chemical and radiation properties (air temperature, water temperature, pH, total hardness, Ca+2, Mg+2, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, turbidity, total alkalinity, electrical conductivity and radon concentration). The resulted data of various physicochemical parameters indicate that in some water samples, the EC, total hardness, BOD, turbidity, and total dissolved solids were found to be high when compared with the limits of WHO standards. Regarding the radon concentration, the results reveal that the radon level of all studied areas were lower than those published in literature. Finally, the findings the river's water could be unsafe for drinking when the physicochemical analysis taken into account.