Evaluation of dissolved and acid-leachable trace element concentrations in relation to practical water quality standards in the Syr Darya, Aral Sea Basin, South Kazakhstan
Satybaldiyev B. Ismailov B. Nurpeisov N. Kenges K. Snow D.D. Malakar A. Uralbekov B.
February 2023Elsevier Ltd
Chemosphere
2023#313
The Syr Darya is one of the major rivers supplying the Aral Sea with freshwater. Soviet programs aimed at maximizing agricultural productivity in the Syr Darya basin increased diversion of water drastically affecting its water quality with significant consequences to its suitability for irrigation, fisheries and other uses. While water quality standards for trace elements are typically measured in the dissolved phase, there is evidence that adsorbed phases may also be relevant. Here we report potentially available heavy metals and metalloid concentrations in the Syr Darya water through the treatment of unfiltered waters samples with dilute nitric acid. Significant differences were found for most studied elements (Mann-Whitney U Test, p < 0.05) between their dissolved and acid-leachable concentrations. For Sr and Se in both sampling campaigns, no significant differences were found between their dissolved and acid-leachable concentrations, indicating their low geochemical reactivity. Dissolved V concentrations and acid-leachable Ni and Zn were found to exceed Kazakhstan Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPC) values for the protection of fishery water quality. Our study evaluates the importance of considering regulatory issues of measuring trace metal concentrations to assess the water suitability for fisheries and irrigation.
Acid-leachable fraction , Maximum permissible concentrations , Potentially available , Syr Darya , Trace metals , Water quality
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Center of Physical-Chemical Methods of Research and Analysis, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
LLP «EcoRadSM», Almaty, Kazakhstan
School of Natural Resources and Nebraska Water Center, part of the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, University of Nebraska, 135 Keim Hall, Lincoln, 68583-0844, NE, United States
Center of Physical-Chemical Methods of Research and Analysis
LLP «EcoRadSM»
School of Natural Resources and Nebraska Water Center
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