WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development
Print ISSN: 1790-5079, E-ISSN: 2224-3496
Volume 8, 2012
Assessing Quality of an Irrigation Canal Ecosystem, Through Water and Sediment Environmental Parameters. A Case Study in Thessaly Region, Greece
Authors: , , , , ,
Abstract: This study aimed to record and evaluates the physicochemical parameters (Na^+, K^+, C?^-, Ca^2+, Mg^2+, electrical conductivity, SO4^2-, total alkalinity, CO3^2- and HCO^3-) and give heavy metals (Cr, Pd, Ni, Cu, and Cd) in sediment Asmaki canal in order to assess the quality of irrigation water used and the nature of pollution along the canal in relation the Sodium Absorption Radio (SAR), the percentage Sodium (Na %) with the help of the Piper diagram. Samples were collected and analyzed bimonthly in May, July and September, at twelve sampling sites along the irrigation-drainage Asmaki canal for two consecutive years (2008 – 2009). We observed increased concentrations of nutrients due to anthropogenic inputs, mainly because of the discharged contaminating waters from the large industrial and agricultural activity.