Contamination Risk of Water Quality on Fisheries and Aquatic Life of Tigris River reach in Mosul City/Noth Iraq

Abstract

Considerable attention is now being paid to the use of rivers and lakes for such purposes as fishing, aquatic life and esthetical enjoyment.

A study of the water quality of the Tigris River in Mosul city, North Iraq, was carried out in order to assess the chemical composition and suitability for fisheries and aquatic life.

Laboratory analysis of 9 water samples for three sites within the rivers reach were performed in order to obtain the chemical concentration of Ca, Na, Mg, HCO3, SO4, Cl, NO3, NO2, TDS and pH. Certain ions may be lethal to fish and other aquatic lifeforms when present at levels near or below the limit given by public water supplies. Copper, zinc and aluminum, which are not among the metals for which limits are prescribed for public water supply, are toxic to fish and many other species of aquatic life. Concentration of chemical constituents in water samples vary spatially and temporarily.

The chemical analysis of the water samples was compared with the standard guideline values as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for fisheries and aquatic life. Three samples from the right bank of the river fell within the poor quality type for water. While the other samples from the left side and the deepest part of the river fell within the high quality type water.

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