Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Status of Pollution in the Southern Marshes of Iraq: A Short Review

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Southern Iraq's Marshes

Part of the book series: Coastal Research Library ((COASTALRL,volume 36))

Abstract

A short review of the water quality and status of pollution in the waters of the southern marshes of Iraq was discussed in this chapter. It starts with a hydrographical description of this important area for its biodiversity richness and historic cultural activities. Previous and recent scientific articles regarding water quality criteria, productivity and pollution with heavy elements and hydrocarbons were reviewed.Water quality criteria include dissolved oxygen, hardness, salinity, alkalinity and nutrients contents. The marsh water was found hard to very hard, rich in oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Such characters are favorable for fisheries and aquaculture activities. Special attention has been focused on the status of pollution with heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other toxic materials. The concentrations of the dissolved phase of some heavy elements in the marshes were below the permissible limits of drinking water. However, reported values indicate that the Al-Hammar marshland is rich in petroleum hydrocarbons as compared with other marshes. Factors affecting the pollution status and water quality deterioration were critically discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abaychi J, Al-Saad H (1988) Trace element in fish from the Arabian gulf and Shatt Al-Arab River. Iraq Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 40:226–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adekola FA, Eletta OAA (2007) A study of heavy metal pollution of Asa River, Ilorin, Nigeria; trace metal monitoring and geochemistry. Environ Monit Assess 125:157–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Atbee RS (2018) Assessment of some heavy elements and hydrocarbons in the water, sediments and dominant aquatic plants at Al-Chibayish marshes.MSc. thesis, Basrah University

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Awady A, Maktoof A, Al-Khafaji BY, Abid NM (2015) Concentration of some heavy metals in water, sediment and two species of aquatic plants collected from the Euphrates river, near the center of Al-Nassiriyia city, Iraq. Marsh Bull 10(2):161–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Falawi HJJ (2005) Ecological study Euphrates River between Al-Hindiya dam and Al-Kefel city-Iraq. MS.c thesis, University of Babylon

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Haidarey MJS (2009) Assessment and sources of some heavy metals in Mesopotamian Marshes. Ph.D. thesis, College of Science for Women, University of Baghdad, Iraq, 158p

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hejuje MM (2014) Application of water quality and pollution indices to evaluate the water and sediments status in the middle part of Shatt AlArab River. Ph.D. thesis, Biology Department, College of Science, University of Basrah, 239p

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hejuje MM, Hussain Najah A, Al-Saad HT (2017) Applied heavy metals pollution index (HPI) as a water pollution Indicator of Shatt Al-Arab River, Basrah-Iraq. Int J Mar Sci 7(35):353–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Imarah FJM, Al-Shawi IJM, Al-Mahmood HK, Hmood AY (2006) Study of some physical and chemical characterizations of water from southern Iraqi marshlands after rehabilitation. Marsh Bull 1(1):82–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Khafaji BY, Dawood YT, Maktoof AA (2012) Trace metals distribution in fish tissues (Cyprinus carpio and Barbus luteus) and sediment from Al-Massab Alamm river near the center of Al-Nassiriyia city. J Thi-Qar Sci 3(2):22–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Khatib FM (2008) Determination the concentrations, origin and distribution of hydrocarbon compounds in water, sediments and some biota of Hor Al-Howaiza, south of Iraq and their sources. Ph.D. thesis., University of Basrah, College of Science, Biology Department, 228p (in Arabic)

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Lami AA, Rathi AG, Al-Dylymi AA, Rasheed RS, Hassan AA (2002) The study of some ecological factors of four lotic aquatic system with different salinity, Middle of Iraq-Tikrit. J Pure Sci 5:14–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mahmood H, Hmood A (2006) Study of some physical and chemical characterizations of water from southern Iraqi marshlands after rehabilitation. Marsh Bull 1(1):82–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mousawi AHA, Al-Saadi HA, Hassan FM (1994) Spatial and seasonal variations of phytoplankton population and related environments in Al-Hammar marsh. Iraqi Basrah G.Sci B 12(1):9–20

    Google Scholar 

  • AL-Saad HT (1995) Distribution and sources of hydrocarbons in Shatt Al-Arab estuary and NW of the Arabian Gulf. Ph.D. thesis, College of Science, Basrah University, Iraq, 186p

    Google Scholar 

  • AL-Saad H, Al-Timari A (1989) Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the marsh sediments. Iraq Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 43:864–869

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AL-Saad HT, Al-Hello MA, Kareem S, DouAbul AAZ (2008) Water quality of Iraqi Southern marshes. Marina Mesopotamica 23(1)

    Google Scholar 

  • AL-Saad HT, Al-Taein SM, Al-Hello MAR, DouAbul AAZ (2009) Hydrocarbons and trace elements in water and sediments of the marsh land of southern Iraq. Mesopotamian J Mar Sci 24(2):126–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Saadi HA, Sulaiman NA, Ismail AM (2001) On some limnological characters of three lotic water system, middle of Iraq. Ibin-Haitham. J Appl Pure Sci 2:5–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Shawi IJ (2006) Comparative study on some physic-chemical characteristic for northern Al-Hammar marsh water before destroyed and after rehabilitation. Marsh Bull 204:127–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Alwan AR (2006) Past and presence status of the aquatic plants of the marshlands of Iraq. Marsh Bull 2:140–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Zubaidi AJM (1985) Ecological study on the algae (phytoplankton) in some marshes near Qurna(southern Iraq)M.Sc. thesis, University of Basrah, Iraq, 236p

    Google Scholar 

  • Bedair HM, Al-Saad HT, Salman NA (2006) Iraqs southern marshes something to be conserved. A case study. Marsh Bull 1

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasington J (2002) Monitoring marshes degradation using multispectral remote sensed imagery. In: Nicholson E, Clark P (eds) The Iraqi Marshlands: a human and environment study. Politico’s, London, pp 151–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrd JT, Lee KW, Lee DS, Smith RG, Windom HL (1990) The behavior of trace metals in the Geum estuary, Korea. Estuar Coasts 13(1):8–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DouAbul A, Al-Saad H (1985) Seasonal variations of oil residues in water of Shatt Al-Arab river, Iraq. Water Air Soil Poll 24:237–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DouAbul A, Al-Saad H, Al-Timari A, Al-Rekabi H (1988) Tigris-Euphrates delta: a major source of pesticides to the Shatt Al-Arab River (Iraq). Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 17:405–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DouAbul AZ, Mahamed SS, Warner B, Abaychi JK, Alwash A (2005) Restoration processes in Abu Zarag– central marsh: a case study. 9th annual meeting of the ecological Society of America, special session 9: restoration of Mesopotamian marshes of Iraq, Montreal, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Douabul AA, Al-Saad HT, Abdullah DS, Salman NA (2013) Designated protected marsh within mesopotamia: water quality. Am J Water Resour 1(3):39–44. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajwr/1/3/4 © Science and Education Publishing. https://doi.org/10.12691/ajwr-1-3-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eden Master Plan (2006) New Eden master plan for integrated water resources management in the marshland area. Volume I, Overview of Present Conditions and Current Use of the Water in the Marshland Area, Book 4, Marshland. The Italian Ministry for the Environment and Territory and Free Iraq Foundation, Italy – Iraq. 256 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans ML (2002) The ecosystem. In: Nicholson E, Clark P (eds) The Iraqi marshlands: A human and environment study. Politico’s, London, pp 201–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewaid SH (2016) Water quality evaluation of Al-Gharraf river by two water quality indices. Appl Water Sci 26:1–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Fang TH, Lin CL (2002) Dissolved and particulate trace metals and their partitioning in a hypoxic estuary: the Tanshui estuary in northern Taiwan. Estuar Coasts 25(4):598–607

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2010) Base line survey of Huwaiza marsh, Final project report. FAO-Iraq & Basrah University, Basrah, 137pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillebrand H, Sommer U (1999) The nutrient stoichiometry of benthic microalgal growth: Redfield proportions are optimal. Limnol Oceanogr 44(2):440–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horne AJ, Goldman CR (1994) Limnology. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussain NA, Ali TS (2006) Tropical nature and feeding relationship among Al-Hammar marsh fishes, southern Iraq. Marsh Bull 1(1):9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Jazza SH (2015) The state of hydrocarbon compounds pollution of water, sediments and some aquatic biota in Al-Kahlaa river-Missan Province/Iraq. Ph.D. thesis, University of Basrah, College of Science, Biology Department, 137p

    Google Scholar 

  • Joyce C (2012) Preface: wetland services & management. Hydrobiologia 692:1–3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lagler KF (1971) Fresh water fishery biology. WM. Publishing Co, Iowa

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Yu Z, Song X, Mu Q (2006) Trace metal concentrations in suspended particles, sediments and clams from Jiaozhou Bay of China. Environ Monit Assess 121:491–501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu Q, He ZL, Graetz DA, Stoffella PJ, Yang X (2011) Uptake and distribution of metals by water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.). Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 18(6):978–986

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maltby E et al (1994) An environmental and ecological study of the marshlands of Mesopotamia: draft consultative bulletin, wetland ecosystems research group, University of Exeter. AMAR Appeal Trust, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitsch WJ, Gosselink GJ (2007) Wetlands, 4th edn. Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Partow H (2001) The Mesopotamian marshlands: demise of an ecosystem. Nairobi (Kenya): division of early warnings and assessment. United nations environment Programme. UNEP publication UNEP/DEWA/TR.01–3

    Google Scholar 

  • Qzar EAA (2009) Concentration of trace metals in environment and some Gastrophoa (Mollusca) in east Hammar marsh. M.Sc. thesis, University of Basrah

    Google Scholar 

  • Reza R, Singh G (2010) Heavy metals contamination and its indexing approach for river water. Int J Environ Sci Technol 7(4):785–792

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson CJ, Hussein NA (2006) Restoring the Garden of Eden: An ecological assessment of the marshes of Iraq. Bioscience 56(6):477–489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson CJ, Reiss P, Hussain NA, Alwash AJ, Pool DJ (2005) The restoration potential of the Mesopotamian marshes of Iraq. Science 307:1307–1311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saeed SH (1997) The study on water quality of Al-Kasa chai river in Kirkuk city. MS.c thesis. Tikrit University

    Google Scholar 

  • Saeed T, Al-Ghandban N, Al-Shemmari H, Al-Mutair M, Al-Hashash H (1999) Preliminary assessment of the impact of draining of Iraqi marshes on Kuwait’s northern marine environment, part II: sediment associated pollutants. Water Sci Technol 40:89–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salman NA (2011a) Assessment of environmental toxicity in Iraqi Southern marshes using fish as bio-indicators. EKOLOGIJA. T 57(1):21–29. © lietuvos mokslų akademija

    Google Scholar 

  • Salman NA (2011b) Suggested methods for enhancement of aquaculture in the southern marshes of Iraq. Iraqi J Aquacult 8(2):157–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens M, Salman NA (2015) Application of international water low in Eden; Environmental protection of Mesopotamian marshes in Southern Iraq. Wetland Sci Pract

    Google Scholar 

  • Talal AA (2008) A study for the seasonal and regional variations of hydrocarbon levels and origin of n-alkanes in water, sediments and some species of biota in Hor Al-Hammar Marshes. Ph.D. thesis, College of Science, University of Basrah, 166p

    Google Scholar 

  • Toma JJ (2002) Limnological study of Dokan lake, Kurdistan region, Iraq. MS.c thesis, University of Salahaddin-Arbil

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2001) The Eden again project. Restoration of the Mesopotamian Marshlands

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2003) Environment in Iraq: UNEP progress report. UNEP, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). (2005) UNEP project to help manage and restore the Iraqi marshlands. (6April, 2006 http://marashlands.unep.or.jp)

  • Weiner ER (2000) Application of environmental chemistry. Lewis Publisher, London/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel RG, Likens GE (2000) Limnological analysis, 3rd edn. Springer

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2011) Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 4th edn., Geneva. http://www.who.int.

  • Witton BA (1975) River ecology. Black Well Scientific Publication, Oxford/London

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Laboratory Technique, Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, Misan, Iraq

    Nader A. Salman

  2. College of Marine Sciences, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq

    Hamid T. Al-Saad & Faris J. Al-Imarah

Authors
  1. Nader A. Salman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hamid T. Al-Saad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Faris J. Al-Imarah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nader A. Salman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental and Animal Sciences, Unitec Institute of Technology, Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand

    Laith A. Jawad

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Salman, N.A., Al-Saad, H.T., Al-Imarah, F.J. (2021). The Status of Pollution in the Southern Marshes of Iraq: A Short Review. In: Jawad, L.A. (eds) Southern Iraq's Marshes. Coastal Research Library, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66238-7_27

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation