Environmental Assessment of the Shatt al-Basra Canal: Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Heavy Metals and Water Quality

Authors

• Mohammed A. Jasim Aldoghachi, Marine Vertebrates Department, Marine Science Center, University of Basrah, Basrah, IraqFollow
• Bassam A. B. Alabdul Aziz, Marine Chemistry Department, Marine Science Center, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
• Shurooq Al-Mosawi, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq

Abstract

The environmental assessment of the Shatt al-Basra Canal in the area of the regulatory was studied. Petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy elements (cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr)) in the waters of this area were analyzed. In addition, some water quality characteristics were evaluated (salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, oxygen, biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrate (NO_3^-), nitrite (NO_2^-), phosphate (PO₄ ^-3), and ammonia (NH₃). Petroleum hydrocarbons had been recorded in studied area and dominated with medium-chain alkanes, namely decane (C₁₀), undecane (C₁₁), and dodecane (C₁₂), which contributed 55–60% of the total weight. The highest concentrations recorded to decanes (47.05 and 46.63 μg/l), undecanes (49.33 and 48.32 μg/l) and dodecanes (37.72 and 37.33 μg/l) in Autumn and Winter respectively, these concentrations were higher than the standard limits allowed in environmental wastewater. Studied metals analysis had been proved that the level of heavy element pollution in the canal was relatively high and beyond regulatory levels according to environmental standards, cobalt recorded the highest concentrations ranging from (9.70–26.86 mg/l) while cadmium recorded the lowest concentration level ranging from (0.005–0.21 mg/l). water quality characteristics have shown it to be unsuitable for drinking and irrigation purposes, especially high levels of salinity (20–25 g/l) and ammonia (4.9–7.1 mg/l) and could potentially impact environment.

First Page

82

Last Page

90

Recommended Citation

Aldoghachi, Mohammed A. Jasim; Aziz, Bassam A. B. Alabdul; and Al-Mosawi, Shurooq (2026) "Environmental Assessment of the Shatt al-Basra Canal: Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Heavy Metals and Water Quality," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Marine Science: Vol. 36: No. 1, Article 8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64064/1658-4325.1030

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