Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)

One of the driest countries in the world, Iran has been facing several challenges related to water shortage, leading to serious social, economic, and environmental impacts. Given the escalating urbanization and industrial development within Iran, a comprehensive assessment of surface water quality u...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Roshani-Sefidkouhi, Fatemeh Mortezazadeh, Masoumeh Eslamifar, Esmaeil Babanezhad, Masoomeh Sheikhi, Fathollah Gholami-Borujeni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Heliyon
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025001926
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author Mohammad Roshani-Sefidkouhi
Fatemeh Mortezazadeh
Masoumeh Eslamifar
Esmaeil Babanezhad
Masoomeh Sheikhi
Fathollah Gholami-Borujeni
author_facet Mohammad Roshani-Sefidkouhi
Fatemeh Mortezazadeh
Masoumeh Eslamifar
Esmaeil Babanezhad
Masoomeh Sheikhi
Fathollah Gholami-Borujeni
author_sort Mohammad Roshani-Sefidkouhi
collection DOAJ
description One of the driest countries in the world, Iran has been facing several challenges related to water shortage, leading to serious social, economic, and environmental impacts. Given the escalating urbanization and industrial development within Iran, a comprehensive assessment of surface water quality utilizing both the US National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) and the Iran Water Quality Index for surface water (IRWQIsc) is imperative. This study aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Talar River in Mazandaran, Iran, in 2023, through the IRWQIsc and NSFWQI. This study was conducted in the Talar River, located in Mazandaran Province in Iran. Water samples from the Talar River were collected to assess 11 physicochemical parameters from 10 sampling Points. A total of 60 samples were collected monthly during winter and summer 2023. The IRWQIsc and NSFWQI were selected to assess the overall water quality of the Talar River. Nitrate (NO3−) concentrations ranged from 29.32 to 85.89 mg/L across seasons, with average values falling within World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Phosphate (PO43−) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) levels exceeded WHO limits on occasion, while turbidity and electrical conductivity (EC) consistently surpassed both WHO and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. pH and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels remained within acceptable ranges. IRWQIsc and NSFWQI indicated generally poor water quality across all sampling sites, with slight seasonal variations suggesting slightly better conditions in summer for IRWQIsc and winter for NSFWQI. This study indicates that NO3− and PO43− levels meet WHO limits, but COD, turbidity, and EC exceed the recommended threshold. The IRWQIsc and NSFWQI highlight poor conditions resulting from agricultural and industrial pollution. Urgent integrated management is essential to mitigate these impacts and safeguard river health in the face of environmental pressures.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2405-8440
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publisher Elsevier
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spelling doaj-art-193a42ef03344ab98b396863a8ad64992025-02-02T05:28:16ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-01-01112e41812Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)Mohammad Roshani-Sefidkouhi0Fatemeh Mortezazadeh1Masoumeh Eslamifar2Esmaeil Babanezhad3Masoomeh Sheikhi4Fathollah Gholami-Borujeni5Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Student Research Commitee, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IranDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Center for Solid Waste Research (CSWR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranFaculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IranDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IranFaculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IranDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, Health Sciences Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Corresponding author.One of the driest countries in the world, Iran has been facing several challenges related to water shortage, leading to serious social, economic, and environmental impacts. Given the escalating urbanization and industrial development within Iran, a comprehensive assessment of surface water quality utilizing both the US National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) and the Iran Water Quality Index for surface water (IRWQIsc) is imperative. This study aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Talar River in Mazandaran, Iran, in 2023, through the IRWQIsc and NSFWQI. This study was conducted in the Talar River, located in Mazandaran Province in Iran. Water samples from the Talar River were collected to assess 11 physicochemical parameters from 10 sampling Points. A total of 60 samples were collected monthly during winter and summer 2023. The IRWQIsc and NSFWQI were selected to assess the overall water quality of the Talar River. Nitrate (NO3−) concentrations ranged from 29.32 to 85.89 mg/L across seasons, with average values falling within World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Phosphate (PO43−) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) levels exceeded WHO limits on occasion, while turbidity and electrical conductivity (EC) consistently surpassed both WHO and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. pH and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels remained within acceptable ranges. IRWQIsc and NSFWQI indicated generally poor water quality across all sampling sites, with slight seasonal variations suggesting slightly better conditions in summer for IRWQIsc and winter for NSFWQI. This study indicates that NO3− and PO43− levels meet WHO limits, but COD, turbidity, and EC exceed the recommended threshold. The IRWQIsc and NSFWQI highlight poor conditions resulting from agricultural and industrial pollution. Urgent integrated management is essential to mitigate these impacts and safeguard river health in the face of environmental pressures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025001926Water qualityTalar RiverIRWQISCNSFWQIMazandaranIran
spellingShingle Mohammad Roshani-Sefidkouhi
Fatemeh Mortezazadeh
Masoumeh Eslamifar
Esmaeil Babanezhad
Masoomeh Sheikhi
Fathollah Gholami-Borujeni
Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)
Heliyon
Water quality
Talar River
IRWQISC
NSFWQI
Mazandaran
Iran
title Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)
title_full Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)
title_fullStr Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)
title_full_unstemmed Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)
title_short Water quality assessment using IRWQIsc and NSFWQI water quality indicators; A case study: Talar River (Iran)
title_sort water quality assessment using irwqisc and nsfwqi water quality indicators a case study talar river iran
topic Water quality
Talar River
IRWQISC
NSFWQI
Mazandaran
Iran
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025001926
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