Assessment of Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Macronutrient Distribution in The Water of Khor Al-Zubair, North Weast Arabian Gulf, Iraq

Riham Mushtaq Hizam; Imad Jassim Alshawi

Authors

Riham Mushtaq Hizam Department of Applied Marine Sciences, College of Marine Sciences, University of Basrah
Imad Jassim M. Alshawi Department of Applied Marine Sciences, College of Marine Sciences, University of Basrah

Keywords:

KhorAl-Zubair, Nutrients, environment, aquatic systems

Abstract

The study was conducted in the Khor Al-Zubair channal in the northwestern Arabian Gulf, where water samples were collected ly (summer and winter) from a depth of 10 cm during low tide at three stations in Khor Al-Zubair (Khor Al-Zubair Port, Al-Nafq, and Umm Qasr Port). A range of physicochemical parameters was measured, including (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, total nitrogen (TN), nitrite, nitrate, total phosphorus (TP), calcium, magnesium, and silica). The results showed clear variations in water quality indicators, with the stations (Khor Al-Zubair Port, Al-Nafq, and Umm Qasr Port) recorded the highest temperature levels (30 °C) during the summer and salinity (50 mg/L) during the summer at the third station (Umm Qasr Port), while the pH (pH) (7.62) during the summer at the third station (Umm Qasr Port), while dissolved oxygen decreased during the summer, recording (6.7 mg/L) at the first station (Khor Al-Zubair Port). As for the major nutrients, the results showed clear spatial and variations, with the highest total nitrogen value recorded during the winter at the third station (Umm Qasr Port), reaching 3.1 µg/L. Similarly, nitrite and nitrate values during the winter also coincided at the Khor Al-Zubair Port station, reaching 1.99 µg/L and 4.49 µg/L, respectively. In contrast, the highest total phosphorus value during the summer was recorded at the Umm Qasr Port station, reaching 0.297 µg/L, accompanied by the highest silica concentration at the same station and during the same season, reaching 6.08 mg/L As for the other elements, the highest concentrations of calcium and magnesium were recorded during the winter at the Tunnel Station, reaching 384.24 mg/L and 1,351.01 mg/L, respectively.

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