Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation; 32(3) ISSN 2651-4451 | e-ISSN 2651-446X

BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY OF AL-DIWANIYAH RIVER –

Alkhalidi¹ S. K, Al-abodi² Department of Environment, College of Science, University of Al-Qadysiyah [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The study aimed to investigate some of the physical and chemical factors of the waters of Al-Diwaniya River, because of the ability of the environmental factors to give a picture of the extent of the biological diversity of the region, and it also shows the state of the climate as well, because of the link between the environmental factors among them. Al-Diwaniya River is the primary source of water in the province. Its importance is more prominent because of the economic situation of the province, which depends on agriculture and therefore irrigation from the river. The current study showed that the pH values were within the permissible range for human use as they tended to alkalinity, while increase turbidity rates were recorded, and TDS and Total hardness to concentrate some factors. This refers to the need to know the causes for putting the solution in order to solve the problems causing higher concentrations because the gradual increase of these values negatively affects the aquatic organisms. Thus, it harms the vital system in the river. The results showed that there were significant differences between the values of turbidity and total hardness at the probability level (p≤0.05), while no significant differences appeared between the values of the other treatments.

Key word: Al-Diwaniya River, Environment, Biology.

I. INTRODUCTION Water constitutes the mainstay of economic and social development, for the safety of ecosystems and human survival, representing the link between society and the environment. Fresh water is the most important natural resource necessary for all forms of life. Climate change observed around the world has a significant impact on water resource forecasts, availability and quality. According to (1), water shortage, pollution and salinity are factors affecting the water supply in Iraq represented by the rivers (Tigris and ) and their tributaries, their branches. Human activities affect almost all aspects of the hydrological cycles of rivers. Changing the nature of the Iraqi river basins will lead to an automatic change in the hydrological behavior of the rivers to ensure the continuity of the system. Surface water quality is a very sensitive issue, of great economic importance in the long run (2).

Iraq is characterized by a hot desert climate that covers 70% of its lands (the alluvial plain and the plateau). Its climate is considered semi-arid, with rainfall less than 150 mm annually and a high evaporation rate (3). The country is highly affected by climate change and its variability, and climate change is considered one of the greatest challenges facing Iraq (1,4). Negatively affects the water resources and consequently the environmental and economic resources (5). Water quality affects ecosystem health significantly. As the ecosystems are sensitive to minor changes and the physical and chemical composition of the water body, which may lead to the degradation of the ecosystem and biodiversity (6).

Water quality is determined by comparing the physical and chemical properties of a water sample with water quality guidelines or standards designed to enable the provision of clean and safe water for human consumption (7). The rivers are still the main source of human water needs, receiving and mitigating water pollutants caused by human action. Al-Diwaniyah River passes within the administrative borders of Al-Diwaniyah province, which is located in south-central Iraq (the Middle Euphrates region). The river represents the course of the ancient Euphrates River, where the river branches from the Shatt al-Hilla and branches from the Euphrates River (8). The river lies between latitudes 34 31-15 32 and longitudes 47 44-10 45. Where the river penetrates the geographical spot of Al-Diwaniyah Governorate from the northwest at Sadr Al-Daghara area, then it heads south towards the center of Al-Diwaniyah www.turkjphysiotherrehabil.org 11453

Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation; 32(3) ISSN 2651-4451 | e-ISSN 2651-446X city. Where the discharge energy of the river is 60 m/s (9). The width of the river ranges from 45-50. It expands in some areas to reach 70 m, with a depth of 3-4 m, and an average water depth of 1.5-3.21 meters, according to seasonal changes, as the height of the river is 17-20 above sea level, where the riverbed is characterized by being homogeneous A mixture of sand, clay and silt, with a small percentage of small stones (10). Because of the current situation that the country is going through, many violations have occurred in the Iraqi rivers, due to the lack of monitoring and the lack of research published on the importance of the pollution of rivers with various pollutants, as this water is used by humans directly and indirectly of diseases (11). Therefore, it was necessary to conduct a study on some of the physical and chemical characteristics of the waters of the Al-Diwaniyah River to determine its suitability for human and other uses. Al-Diwaniyah River is the main source of drinking water in the province, in addition to its importance in irrigating agricultural lands and various human uses (12(. The current study aimed to investigate some of the physical and chemical factors of the Al-Diwaniyah River, highlighting some of the environmental aspects that can be taken into consideration in the study of biological diversity and aquatic life.

II. MATERIALS AND METHODS Water samples were collected from three stations within the Al-Diwaniyah River from September 2020 to March 2021. The first station in the north of the city, is characterized by the presence of many aquatic plants such as Phragmites Australis, Typhdomingensis Achammblan and Ceratophyllum demersum. The second station is almost downtown, exposed to a lot of waste leaking from Doctors Street, cafes, and residential communities on both sides of the road. The third station, south of the city, is characterized by various human and agricultural activities, in addition to the presence of textile and rubber factories.

Samples were collected by polyethylene plastic containers with a capacity of 2 liters, with 3 replicates from the cliff (30 cm depth), the middle and the opposite side at 12 noon in the middle of the day. The air temperature was measured directly using a mercury thermometer (0-100) and the readings were expressed in degrees Celsius. The water samples were transferred to the laboratory and tests were conducted to investigate their properties as follows: Water temperature C / Hach (E.C meter) -USA, PH / Hach (E.C meter) – USA, Lovibond (turbidity meter) - Germany / Total dissolved solids (TDS) mg/l, Turbidity NT / Lovibond (turbidity meter) –According to the manufacturer's instructions, Total hardness mg/l by Titration

The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Analysis of variance by Tow Way ANOVA was applied to study the physical and chemical properties of Al-Diwaniyah River water, where significant differences between the averages were compared.

Results The results indicated clear changes in the air temperature values during the study period, the highest value (41) C in the three stations September 2020, the lowest value (12) C in the first station December 2020. The water temperature ranged from (28) C in the second and third stations, respectively, in September, to (9) in the first station in December. PH values varied between the lowest value (7.3) in the first station in March, to the highest value (8.3) in the first station in December. Turbidity values ranged between the highest value (27.8) mg/l in the second and third stations in September, the lowest value was (4) mg/l in February. Total hardness values reached very high levels in Al-Diwaniyah River, the highest value (534) mg/L, calcium carbonate in the first station (528) (526) mg/L, respectively, in the first, second and third stations in January, the lowest value was recorded The third station (370) mg / liter in March. It was noted that there are seasonal changes in the values of the total stiffness in all student stations. The highest value of total hardness was recorded in the winter months, while the lowest values were at the end of winter.

Station1 Station2 50 40 30 20 10 0

Air Air temperature www.turkjphysiotherrehabil.org 11454

Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation; 32(3) ISSN 2651-4451 | e-ISSN 2651-446X

Figure (1) Seasonal and local changes of air temperature measured in Celsius units in Al-Diwaniyah River stations (1,2,3)

Station1 Station2 Station3 30 25 20 15

Water Water 10

5 temperature 0

Figure (2) Seasonal and local changes of water temperature measured in Celsius units in Al-Diwaniyah River stations ( 1,2,3).

Station1 Station2 Station3 8.2 8 7.8 7.6 7.4

7.2 pH pH water 7

Figure (3) Seasonal and local changes of pH in Al-Diwaniyah River stations (1,2,3).

Station1 Station2 1500

1000

500 TDSmg/l 0

Figure (4) Seasonal and local changes of TDS in Al-Diwaniyah River stations (1,2,3) .

Station1 Station2 30 25 20 15 10 5

0 Turbidity Turbidity NTU

Figure (5) Seasonal and local changes of turbidity in Al-Diwaniyah River stations (1,2,3) .

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Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation; 32(3) ISSN 2651-4451 | e-ISSN 2651-446X

Figure (6) Seasonal and local changes of turbidity in Aldiwaniyah River stations (1,2,3).

The table (1) shows the minimum and maximum values of the physical and chemical properties of the samples under study and the results of the statistical analyzes. The results indicated significant differences in turbidity and total hardness, while no significant differences appeared between the values of the rest of the properties.

Table (1): Arithmetic mean, standard deviation and range (first grade), upper and lower values of physical and chemical Parameters (second grade) in Aldiwaniyah River during stations

Stations Parameters 1 2 3 23.571±7. 871 a 23.843±7.624 a 23.586±7.686 a Air Temp. 12-41 14-41 14-41 17.714±5.772 a 18.009±5.411 a 18.043±5.347 a Water Temp. 9-27 10.98-28 11-28 7.674±0.256 a 7.653±0.140 a 7.721±0.116 a pH 7.3-8.3 7.42-7.9 7.6-8 862.429±146.644 a 883.286±140.419 a 878.429±169.401 a T.D.S 640-1022 670-1022 660-1112 8.314±2.629 b 14.571±6.224 a 14.486±6.641 a Turbidity 4-13 8-27.8 8-27.8 522.143±8.563 a 491.619±36.761 b 461.286±56.653 c Tot-Hardness 506-534 430-528 370-526

The averages carrying different letters within the same row differ significantly between each other.

III. DISCUSSION The results showed clear monthly changes in the air and water temperature, which may be attributed to the differences in the intensity of the sun's brightness and the length of the illumination period. The air temperature was consistent with the water temperature, as the surface temperature of the water tended most of the time to be consistent with the air temperature (13). Water temperature is one of the most important physical properties in the aquatic environment, because it affects the presence, density, distribution and growth of aquatic organisms. In addition to its effect on the chemical properties of water and its interactions (14).

The pH values in the current study tended towards alkalinity, and this is consistent with (13) in his study of the environmental characteristics of the Euphrates River with the city of , and also with (15) which recorded the pH values of surface water in the Abu Gharb and Wahabi rivers in the province of within the values The natural surface water ranged between (6.68 -9.14), recorded (16) values ranging (7.25-8.15) mg/ml. Also, it was recorded (17) (7-8026)) mg/ml. These results are consistent with the nature of other Iraqi water environments. Higher pH values in the winter months are due to the predominance of basal ions, which are affected by various factors, including the concentration of co2, microorganism activity, and primary productivity. This is from the decomposition of bicarbonates. The basic may be due to the presence of carbonate ions, bicarbonate and the decomposition of silica salts in water (13), and the soil salts carried by torrents (18), the abundance of algae, plants and increased photosynthesis. increase in PH values in urban water due to household waste saturated with cleaning materials that have an alkaline effect on water

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Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation; 32(3) ISSN 2651-4451 | e-ISSN 2651-446X

The results showed an increase in TDS values in the study stations, as this agrees with the study (18,15). This result indicated high salinity, as this factor is used at the present time as a measure of salinity. However, it was less than what was recorded by (16), which recorded values of (147-1670) mg/ml. This rise is due to the large excretion of waste into the river from Iran. Water in which TDS values range between (480, 1440) mg/ml is considered high. TDS indicates a decrease in the river water level and the speed of its flow during the measurement period, which leads to the concentration of pollutants, including salts.

Turbidity rises in water as a result of suspended matter such as clay, organic and inorganic materials. When the results showed an increase in the summer and this is consistent with (13), this is due to the low water level and the high temperature, leading to an increase in the evaporation rate. The results also agree with (15) when they recorded high values of turbidity that exceeded the allowed range by the World Health Organization and the Iraqi standard specifications (5-25) international units. This rise is due to the fluctuation of the speed of the river's flow, as the turbidity of the water changes with the change in the speed of the flow, because the water carries suspended materials, in addition to the heavy water that is thrown into the river. Until we differ with them in the recorded values, The highest turbidity value in the current study was (27.8) mg/ml, while the researchers recorded (36.5) mg/ml in station and (66.7) mg/ml in station. The reason for the different values of the results is due to the difference in the environment for the two studies, which indicates that heavy water is thrown into the Euphrates River in Ramadi and Fallujah due to the remnants of the car exhaust repair area near a river, and because of the large number of estuaries connected to the river and the speed of its flow. The results outperformed (16), which recorded turbidity values (4.3-195) mg/ml, and this is due to a due to the channels draining the river carrying organic, inorganic, bacteria and other substances, and we agree (17), which recorded values ranging between (0.05- 1.99) mg/ml in his study that targeted some wells' physical and chemical properties in .

The current study indicated high hardness values of the samples under study, and this is consistent with studies (18), which recorded high values (1080 - 2360) mg/ml in March and April, respectively, due to the high percentage of calcium carbonate as a result of the additions of this element, which is one of the main causes of hardness. It also agrees with (19) when recording a high in the total hardness of the water Yusufiya River, and with (20) which indicated high concentrations of hardness and dissolved and suspended substances in Hilla water, and also with (21) when it recorded high values of total hardness in the water of most of the wells under study, its rates ranged (557-2144) mg/ml, as a result of the limestone nature characteristic of the Iraqi soil. We also agree with (16) when record of (162-1565) mg/ml, which indicated a very high hardness. The reason is due to the low water levels, which leads to an increase in the concentration of hardness-causing ions, due to the civil and industrial waste that is thrown into the Alvand River from Iran. This leads to an increase in sulfate values in some months, resulting from the increase in the amount of household and agricultural waste thrown into the environment, as it contains sulfate- bearing organic materials such as methionine and lecithin, which in turn add high concentrations of sulfur when decomposing by microorganisms (13).

Calcium and magnesium salts are some of the most important causes of hardness. Its natural sources are limestone, which dissolves in water during contact with it (22). The concentration of hardness depends on the geologic factors through which the water passes. The values of total hardness exceeded the permissible limits in the study areas due to the effect of the cesspools on the Euphrates River and the effect of heavy water that was dumped into a river by sewage, as a result of the increase in the excretion of human and industrial waste, the effect of precipitation and the increase in the erosion of neighboring soils into the riverbed. . The reason for the rise in calcium is due to the increase in the solubility of CO2 in water and the formation of carbonic acid, which helps in dissolving calcium salts (23). The hardness increases towards summer due to dust storms, which may be calcium carbonate as the main component of the carried dust particles.

IV. CONCLUSION The results of the current study gave a clear picture of the extent of the environmental variety of some physical and chemical factors of the waters of Al-Diwaniyah River. The study indicated that some concentrations of factors are higher than the permissible limit, which calls for the need to shed more light to preserve the river because it is the main source of water in the province.

Acknowledgment The Directorate of Environment by Al-Diwaniyah Governorate assisted in conducting this research. www.turkjphysiotherrehabil.org 11457

Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation; 32(3) ISSN 2651-4451 | e-ISSN 2651-446X

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