Assessing the Quality of Water of the Araks Basin Rivers in Armenia

Abstract

This article deals with the quality of water of tributaries of transboundary River Araks. The performed river water research
was underpinned by monthly monitoring data for 2004–2007. As a result of the research, a general characteristic of water quality
by basic quality indices and the contents of common ions were given. The impact sources and water quality formation-determining
factors were indicated. Geochemical series of heavy metals streams were made up and studied, and dominating elements indicated.
As a result of statistical data analysis, correlation dependence between concentrations of a different parameters was indicated.

Keywordswater quality–common ions–heave metals–ore regions

Full text

ISSN 00978078, Water Resources, 2011, Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 87–94. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2011.
87
1
INTRODUCTION
River Araks—the largest tributary of River Kura—
is one of the most essential water arteries to the Cau
casus. The total length of the river is 1072 km, with the
covering an area over one hundred thousand square
.kilometers, with around a quarter of that flowing into
Armenian territory. Mean annual runoff is 9 km
3
. The
Araks River forms in Turkey and flows a distance of
638 km before entering the wide Ararat Valley. The
river waters are used predominantly for irrigation.
This article covers an investigation of water quality
of 8 rivers belonging to the Araks basin: the Hrazdan,
Marmarik, Sevjur, Voghchi, Meghriget, Gorisget,
Arpa and Vorotan (Fig. 1).
In the present paper the results for key water
parameters, common ions, heavy metals obtained in
the Armenian part of Araks River basin of the network
during four years of operation are summarized and
discussed in relation to geology, hydrology and hydro
geochemistry of the river catchments, and potential
sources of water pollution.
EXPERIMENTAL
The article highlights the outcomes of monitoring
performed in a period from 2004 to 2007. Data on
monthly river water quality monitoring on 8 stations
Ar4, Ar5, Ar6, Ar7, Ar8, Ar9, Ar12, Ar13 (Fig.
1) were used for interpretation of the character, level
and inclinations of the studied water quality indices.
Samples were collected, conserved, transported
and stored following Standard Operational Proce
1
The article is published in the original.
dures (SOPs) developed based on the methods of
International Standardization Organization (ISO) [7].
Field measurements were done on a monthly basis.
Insitu measurements included hydrogen index (pH),
conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, temperature
and salinity and were done on a portable analyzer U
10 (Horiba). Water discharge was measured on a
USGStype AA Current Meter using a Data Storage
Computer of AquaCala 500 model (Rickly Hydrolog
ical Co) (Table 1).
Common ions Na, K, Mg, Ca, SO
4
, Cl, HCO
3
,
CO
3
, N
total
, P
total
were studied on a quarterly basis and
were determined in nonacidified and filtered sam
ples. Common ions are determined through ISO
methods in untreated natural water samples in the
shortest interval after transmission to the lab, this
being registered in protocols for sample checkin and
checkout.
Sulfates are determined through the accepted
gravimetric method ISO9280 as it allows expansion
of detection, from 0.2 to 500 mg/L. To determine
chlorides, SOPs were developed based on ISO
method 9297—argentometric titration method
MDL—1.0 mg/L.
To determine cations, both chemical and physico
chemical methods of determination are applicable.
For instance, we determine Ca and Mg through titra
tion (ISO6058, 6059), whereas the control method is
that of flame photometry and atomicabsorption spec
trophotometry. The accuracy of determination is high,
varies 0.4–0.6 mg/L and is in error by max. 0.5%. K
and Na are determined through the ISO method 9964
3 and keeping the developed SOPs for determination
through the flame photometry method. The applied
Assessing the Quality of Water
of the Araks Basin Rivers in Armenia
1
M. A. Nalbandyan
The Center for EcologicalNoosphere Studies, the National Academy of Sciences Abovian Str. 68, 0025, Yerevan, Armenia
Received January 16, 2010
Abstract
—This article deals with the quality of water of tributaries of transboundary River Araks. The per
formed river water research was underpinned by monthly monitoring data for 2004–2007. As a result of the
research, a general characteristic of water quality by basic quality indices and the contents of common ions
were given. The impact sources and water quality formationdetermining factors were indicated. Geochem
ical series of heavy metals streams were made up and studied, and dominating elements indicated. As a result
of statistical data analysis, correlation dependence between concentrations of a different parameters was indi
cated.
Keywords
: water quality, common ions, heave metals, ore regions.
DOI:
10.1134/S0097807811010088
WATER QUALITY AND PROTECTION:
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

88
WATER RESOURCES
Vol. 38 No. 1 2011
NALBANDYAN
method is as accurate as that of determining emission
variant of atomicabsorption photometry.
The quantity of ions was determined in lab condi
tions on a SF46, a portable spectrophotometer
DR/2400 Hach.
On a monthly basis, determined were soluble forms
of heavy metals: Cu, Mo, Zn, Cr, Ni, Mn, Cd, As, Hg,
Co, Pb, Ag. Samples for determination of mercury
were collected into a glass container, acidified by
HNO
3
until reaching pH < 2, and then K
2
Cr
2
O
7
was
added. While determining concentrations of other
HMs, the samples were filtered through membrane fil
ters with a pore diameter 0.45
μ
m, then acidified by
HNO
3
(1 : 1) until reaching pH ~ 2 and stored in poly
ethylene containers. HMs were determined on a RE
Aanalist 800 through the atomicabsorption method
with graphite atomizer, and flame photometry. Ana
lyte concentrations were measured following the
developed ISObased SOPs [1, 2].
To characterize the level of abnormality of chemi
cal element distribution in the study mediums, Man
made Concentration Coefficient (
C
c
) was applied. It
means relation of element contents in the study anom
alous object (
C
i
) to its background contents (
C
b
):
C
c
=
C
i
/
C
b
. To obtain the integral characteristic of polyele
ment pollution, a Summary Concentration Index (Zc)
is calculated, which represents the sum of elements
contents in the sample standardized by the back
ground [5]:
Z
c
=
Σ
C
c
– (
n
– 1), where
n
is the number
of elements with
C
c
> 1.
Statistical data treatment was performed based on
nonparametric Spearman correlation, statistical pro
gram Statistica 6.0.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Studying Basic Water Quality Parameters
To the waters of basin rivers weakalkaline reaction
is common. pH values vary 7.3 to 7.7. The indices of
DO contents are relatively high this being typical of
mountainregion rivers with intense fall, high current
velocity and active turnover. Redox potential values
(Eh) vary 211.3–245.8 mB. Oxygen as universal oxi
dizer impacts the Eh value. The role of organic com
pounds that use oxygen for oxidation allows to justify
relatively low Eh values. They are specific of sampling
points located in the vicinities of cities where
untreated waste waters contain large amounts of
organic substances and compounds. Such sampling
sites are: 5—city of Masis, 7—Kapan, 9—Goris
(Table 2). The values of water conductivity indices
(Ec) for the studied period indicate mean water min
eralization level for most rivers except the Sevjur and
the Hrazdan.
Pambak
Leninakan
Araks
Ashtarak
Hrazdan
Yerevan
Sevan
Aghsten
Debed
Arpa
Vorotan
Goris
Kapah
Meghhhriget
12
3
45
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
N
W
S
E
30 0 30 60 km
Araks
LEGEND
Stations
Surface Water
Rivers
Araks river
Lake
Reservuar
Armenian Borders
Cities
Settlements
CapitalCity
River Basins
Kura
Araks
Fig. 1.
A Map of River Network and Monitoring Stations in Armenia.

WATER RESOURCES
Vol. 38 No. 1 2011
ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF WATER 89
Table 1.
Applied analytical methods and detection limits (DL) for waters
Variable Extraction Methods Detection limit and unit
pH n/a Water checker U10 –
Temperature n/a Water checker U10
°
C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) n/a Water checker U10 mg/L
Salinity n/a Water checker U10 %
Conductivity n/a Water checker U10 Sm/cm
Turbidity n/a Water checker U10 NTU
Ca Dissolved Complexometric 0.05 mg/L
Mg Dissolved Complexometric 0.05 mg/L
K Dissolved Flame photometry 0.02 mg/L
Na Dissolved Flame photometry 0.02 mg/L
SO
4
Dissolved Gravimetric 0.2 mg/L
NO
3
Dissolved Spectrometry 0.005 mg/L
NO
2
Dissolved Spectrometry 0.005 mg/L
N Total Spectrometry 0.05 mg/L
P Total Spectrometry 0.005 mg/L
HCO
3
Dissolved Potentiometric, Titration 0.5 mg/L
CI Dissolved Argentometric 1.0 mg/L
Mo Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.5
µ
g/L
Hg Dissolved Atomic absorption with mercury–hydride system 0.6
µ
g/L
Ag Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.1
µ
g/L
Co Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.7
µ
g/L
Cr Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.06
µ
g/L
Ni Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.3
µ
g/L
Cu Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.5
µ
g/L
Cd Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.02
µ
g/L
Pb Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.3
µ
g/L
As Dissolved Atomic absorption 0.7
µ
g/L
Mn Dissolved Flame photometry 0.5
µ
g/L
Zn Dissolved Flame photometry 1.6
µ
g/L
Relatively high Ec values for the noted rivers are
predetermined by high contents of basic ions in water
which are known to be strong electrolytes (Table 3).
High values of water mineralization of the 2 noted riv
ers were proved both by Ec indices and water salinity
measurements (Table 2).
Studying Common Ions
Table 3 gives data on ion contents in the basin riv
ers. As a result of the assessment of total contents of
ions in the water and basing on river water classifica
tion by mineralization level [3], the waters of Rivers
Arpa, Voghchi, Meghriget, Gorisget, Marmarik, Voro
tan are characterized as “hydrocarbonate”, and those
of Rivers Sevjur and Hrazdan—as “hydrocarbonate
sulfate” (Fig. 2d). Total water hardness corresponds to
carbonate and varies 1.98–4.98 mg/L. Basing on the
accepted classification of waters by hardness [4], the
waters of Rivers Arpa, Voghchi, Meghriget, Gorisget,
Marmarik, Vorotan are characterized as “soft” and
those of Rivers Sevjur and Hrazdan—as “medium
hard”.
High values of River Hrazdan water mineralization
is predetermined by the impact of waste and sewage
waters from city of Yerevan and numerous settlements
located in the Ararat Valley. As for River Sevjur water
quality, it forms under the impact of both natural and
manmade factors. The river is fed predominantly. by
ground waters, this influencing formation of salt com
position of the water.
At the same time, the river takes the discharging
untreated waste and sewage waters from industrial
enterprises and settlements located within the river
basin. The noted factors play a considerable role in

90
WATER RESOURCES
Vol. 38 No. 1 2011
NALBANDYAN
Table 2.
Mean values of basic water parameters for the Araks basin rivers for 2004–2007
StN Monitoring station pH Eh, mV Ec, mS/sm Turbidity (NTU) DO, mg/l Temperature,
°
C Salinity, %
4 r. Sevjur–v. Ranchpar 7.50 243.51 1.18 25.86 10.55 16.04 0.05
5 r. Hrazdan–t. Masis 7.29 211.31 1.04 37.29 10.76 14.86 0.04
6 r. Arpa–v. Areni 7.70 235.54 0.39 43.36 11.08 12.39 0.01
7 r. Vokhchi–c.Kapan 7.52 225.46 0.35 43.19 11.04 11.88 0.01
8 r. Meghriget–c.Meghri 7.71 226.72 0.33 31.29 10.81 13.11 0.01
9 r. Gorisget–c. Goris 7.34 223.28 0.26 40.60 10.92 12.38 0.01
12 r. Marmarik–v. Aghavnadzor 7.39 242.97 0.25 37.38 11.66 9.08 0.00
13 r. Vorotan–v. Vorotan 7.31 245.85 0.30 19.12 10.78 12.61 0.01
water quality formation, this explaining high contents
of anions and cations in the waters (Figs. 2a, 2b).
To assess water pollution level, a comparative anal
ysis was performed for anion and cation composition
of River Hrazdan water collected from a sampling
point nearby city of Masis and at the headwaters. As a
result of the analysis, rather a specific picture was
obtained. As River Hrazdan flows out from Lake
Sevan, so at the riverhead the quality of river water is
si mil ar t o that o f la ke wat er. As se en f rom Fi g. 2 the riv 
erhead water is high in HCO
3
and Mg. The picture is
quite different for the point HrazdanMasis: a
decrease of HCO
3
and Mg and increase inNa, K, Ca
and SO
4
(Figs. 2a, 2b).
The type of the Sevan waters HCO
3
Mg is charac
terized by high contents of Mg, which is typical of car
bonate waters forming in ultrabasic rocks. Of all
sources the most essential is the Sevan ophyolite belt.
The increase in Na and SO
4
in the water is associated
with their transfer from erupted and volcanogenic
sedimentary rocks through which the river flows. The
increase in Ca is provoked by calciumcontaining
alumosilicates [3].
The river crosses a number of cities, which sewage
waters are discharged into the waters after mechanic
treatment only. So alongside with natural factors, sew
age waters, too, add to water enrichment with the
noted ions.
Rivers Hrazdan and Sevjur are high in biogenic ele
ments. In particular, the indicated levels of nitrogen
contents prove the presence of manmad load (house
hold pollution) on water objects (Figs. 2c).
Statistical Data Processing
The statistical analysis was performed for the gen
eral database on the all rivers of the Araks basin. As a
result, indicated was stable correlation dependence of
Tab le 3.
Mean contents of common ions for River Araks basin for 2004–2007 (mg/L)
N Monitoring station SCl
–
HC Na
+
K
+
Ca
2+
Mg
2+
N
total
P
total
Tot al mi ne r.
4 r. Sevjur–v. Ranchpar 190.22 104.67 304.01 85.86 5.98 81.81 48.51 15.82 0.19 837.07
5 r. Hrazdan –t. Masis 169.77 99.29 255.15 93.54 6.84 71.64 34.57 25.75 0.34 756.89
6 r. Arpa–v. Areni 50.99 19.25 175.78 24.04 3.26 46.59 11.82 8.30 0.09 340.12
7 r. Vokhchi–c.Kapan 72.51 24.67 177.95 19.41 2.36 50.68 12.98 9.04 0.19 369.79
8 r. Meghriget–c.Meghri 41.66 13.84 147.79 10.26 2.29 40.72 9.29 5.77 0.14 271.76
9 r. Gorisget–c. Goris 38.04 16.35 157.90 22.16 5.62 33.22 12.51 14.76 0.32 300.88
12 r. Marmarik–v. Aghavnadzor 23.82 18.03 121.03 15.94 2.79 24.48 9.29 9.66 0.10 225.14
13 r. Vorotan–v. Vorotan 37.96 15.33 158.29 16.30 3.34 39.08 9.80 7.29 0.49 287.88
O4
2–
O3
–

WATER RESOURCES
Vol. 38 No. 1 2011
ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF WATER 91
different ions as well as of electroconductivity and
ions.
Heavy Metals
Hydrogeochemical characteristic of heavy metals
contents in the river water.
As indicated above, the
contents of heavy metals in the studied river waters are
not excessive vs. MAC. However, the contents of sep
arate metals show a manifold excess vs. the back
ground. So for determining the degree of the impact of
geochemical landscape upon water quality formation
we assessed the contents of heavy metals from hydro
geochemical viewpoint.
For this purpose calculated were concentration
coefficients (
C
c
) (the element contents excess vs. the
background) and summary indices of heavy metals
concentrations (Table 4).
Based on the obtained
C
c
values, ranged qualitative
series of geochemical stream were made up (Table 5).
Assessing hydrogeochemical peculiarities of HM
contents for 2005–2007 indicated that
for River Hrazdan dominating was nickel in 2005
and arsenicin 2006 and 2007. The river is exposed to
both natural and manmade sources of heavy metals,
thus experiencing the impact of a whole set of factors.
Domination of metals in geochemical series was indi
cated with regard for basic factors: agricultural runoffs
and industrial waste water;
river Vogchi was characterized by high indices of
copper in 2005, 2006, 2007. Such high concentration
coefficients (Table 5) are linked to presence of copper
and coppermolybdenum deposits within the river
basin [6] as well as to active operation of mining enter
prises. For the rest rivers chromium was dominant in
2005, 2006, 2007, which could be presumably induced
by a soilwashout factor dominating over other quality
formation sources.
Assessing the total value of summary concentration
index for the basin as a whole indicates that the
dynamics of its variations positively correlates to that
of the value of annual water runoffs from the watershed
(Fig. 5). This allows a conclusion that priority in for
mation of total geochemical stream of heavy metals is
given to chemical runoff from watershed river basins
through both surface and surfaceslope washout.
Therefore, though point pollution sources exert a
strong local impact, nonetheless in formation of total
geochemical stream of heavy metals in the basin scat
tered source is dominant, which is manifested as a
washout from the watershed.
CONCLUSIONS
The outcome of research indicated that in respect
to total mineralization the waters of all the studied riv
ers except the Hrazdan and the Sevjur are character
ized by predominantly hydrocarbonate and the noted
2 rivers—by transitive to sulfate composition. Collat
ing derived conclusions with situation prior to the
research and literature data of historic period indi
400
300
200
100
0background Hrazdan Sevjur
100
60
40
20
0
background Hrazdan Sevjur
80
30
15
10
5
0
background Hrazdan Sevjur
20
25 1000
600
400
200
0
800
Cl
–
SO
42–
HCO
Mg
Na
Ca
P total
K total
N total
Mineralization
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
12 34 56 7 8
Fig. 2.
The level of anioncation composition and total mineralization in the waters of the Araks basin rivers, mg/L.

92
WATER RESOURCES
Vol. 38 No. 1 2011
NALBANDYAN
Table 4.
Concentration coefficients (
C
c
) and summary indices (
Z
c
) of heavy metals contents for 2005–2007
Elements Ni Cr Mn Zn Cu Hg Cd Mo
Z
c
*
R. Hrazdan–t. Masis
background 1.027 1.182 16.00 15.00 0.732 0.548 0.018 2.312
C
c
2005 8.05 1.33 3.86 2.86 2.36 7.82 2.50 0.46 22.4
2006 2.45 1.13 3.50 3.81 3.38 1.31 2.00 0.59 20.9
2007 2.36 1.26 3.32 2.16 9.84 1.34 2.50 0.63 45.0
R. Arpa–v. Aren
background 0.574 0.001 20.28 22.28 1.646 0.000 0.052 0.000
C
c
2005 4.18 12.50 1.17 1.18 0.65 0.76 0.80 1.82 16.3
2006 1.61 12.00 0.70 0.89 0.70 0.66 0.60 1.18 11.7
2007 2.36 14.68 1.02 1.13 2.22 0.67 0.92 1.17 17.5
R.Vokhchi–1. Kapan
background 2.95 0.06 24.2 39.0 1.096 0.6 0.02 0.5
C
c
2005 1.19 20.33 2.22 2.01 20.08 – 10.00 12.86 62.5
2006 0.42 11.00 4.30 3.65 23.63 – 10.50 8.26 58.3
2007 0.51 22.25 1.95 1.91 23.96 – 7.61 8.31 64.4
R. Meghr iget–v. Meghri
background 0.368 0.000 15.62 15.62 2.045 0.418 0.068 3.060
C
c
2005 4.86 12.83 1.56 2.24 0.95 2.38 0.57 1.15 19.0
2006 3.16 8.50 1.88 2.02 1.33 1.76 0.43 0.27 12.3
2007 3.14 13.13 1.72 1.28 3.20 1.43 0.61 1.44 18.8
R. Gorisget–t. Goris
background 0.378 0.083 20.00 20.00 1.275 0.197 0.029 0.000
C
c
2005 6.97 12.00 2.10 1.72 1.06 4.30 1.33 1.50 23.9
2006 3.08 8.13 1.46 1.50 1.78 4.15 1.67 1.88 16.8
2007 3.15 16.45 1.51 1.13 4.06 5.90 0.94 2.09 28.1
R.Vorotan–t. Vorotan
background 0.576 0.085 11.26 11.29 0.926 1.015 0.053 0.000
C
c
2005 3.98 13.75 2.53 2.78 2.29 1.02 0.80 2.96 2.31
2006 2.90 6.13 2.43 2.47 3.30 0.81 0.60 2.18 18.9
2007 2.03 9.99 2.26 1.80 7.61 0.63 0.56 1.88 28.9
*Summary Index of Concentration.

WATER RESOURCES
Vol. 38 No. 1 2011
ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF WATER 93
cated that the rivers belong to the same classes as ear
lier.
Statistical treatment of water quality data allowed
indication of good correlation dependence of different
ions as well as of electroconductivity and ions for all
the rivers of the Araks basins. As a result of the analysis
of data on heavy metals, transfer sources and impact
factors were revealed.
Despite a substantial impact of industrial, house
hold and agricultural runoffs, the dominating role of
geochemical landscape of watershed in river water
quality formation is evident. The transport of this or
that heavy metals of the river water is predetermined
63.23
54.47
48.64
43.17
35.87
30.40
23.71
17.02
11.52
6.06
0.61
12.02
20.04
28.06
36.07
44.08
52.10
60.12
68.1477.15
86.17
94.19 104.20 Ec
Scatterplot (ions. sta 34v*182c)
Mg
2+
= – 9.6035 + 0.52*
x
Ca
2+
Mg
2+
Valid Spearman t(N2) plevel
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
182
182
182
182
182
182
182
HCO
3
& Ca
HCO
3
& Mg
Na & HCO
3
Na & K
Na & Ca
Na & Mg
Ca & Mg
0.785726
0.673985
0.701281
0.631602
0.701999
0.643582
0.634682
17.04182
12.24031
13.19803
10.92985
13.22466
11.28144
11.01896
Fig. 4.
The results of the Spearman correlation of different ions between 2004 and 2007 (to the right: one of plots displaying rela
tions between Ca and Mg).
267.50
233.32
201.60
176.10
140.30
76.95
53.41
30.04
6.64
0.055
0.1520.246
0.340
0.4390.533 0.6740.773 0.926
1.020 1.130
1.2301.330
Scatterplot (ions. sta 34v* 182c)
SO
42–
= – 11.2391 + 169.9825*
x
Valid Spearman t(N2) plevel
Ec & SO
42–
Ec & HCO
3
Ec & Na
Ec & Ca
Ec & Mg 182
0.668742
0.749624
0.717426
0.813262
0.691097
182
182
182
182 12.06749
15.19536
13.81682
18.75082
12.82861 0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
SO
42–
Fig. 3.
The results of the Spearman correlation of electroconductivity and ions between 2004 and 2007 (to the right: one of plots
displaying relations between Ec and S
O4
2–).
250
0.045
0.040
0.035
0.030
0.025
0.020
0.015
0.010
200720062005
0
0.005
200
150
100
50
0
Zc Runoff
Fig. 5.
Variations in the value of total summary index of HM concentration and water runoff from the watershed for 2005–2007.

94
WATER RESOURCES
Vol. 38 No. 1 2011
NALBANDYAN
by geogenic factors of ore regions, ore water, peculiar
ities of soil washout and so on. Exploitation of ore
deposits located within river basins adds to water
enrichment with metals.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was underlaid by data on an interna
tional NATO/OSCE project no. 977991 “South Cau
casus River Monitoring”, 2002–2008 (www.kura
araksnatosfp.org) The author wish to express their
thanks to Diana Khachyan and Julietta Kazaryan for
lab measurement of analytes and Mher Mikaelyan for
field work.
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1. Fomin, G.S.,
Water. Control of Chemical, Bacterial, and
Radiation Safety by International Standard. Standard
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and Biogenic Elements in Surface Waters. ISO6878,
ISO9297, ISO71501, ISO78903, ISO6777, ISO
99631, ISO99643, 6058, 6059, 9280
, Moscow:
Pub.h. “Protector”, 2000, pp. 213–229, 282
⎯
290,
335
⎯
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387.
2. Fomin, G.S.,
Water. Control of Chemical, Bacterial, and
Radiation Safety by International Standard. Standard
Operational Procedures for Determination of Heavy Met
als in Surface Waters. ISO8288, ISO9174, ISO5961
,
Moscow: Pub.h."Protector", 2000, pp. 268–272.
3. Khalatyan, E.S.,
Boron distribution in mineral waters of
the Armenian SSR. Yerevan
, 1980.
4. Koryukhina, T.A. and Churbanova, I.N.,
Water Chem
istry and Microbiology
, Moscow: Stroyizdat, 1983,
pp. 78–79.
5. Perelman, A.I. and Kasimov, N.S.,
Landscape
Geochemistry
, Moscow, 1999.
6. Saghatelyan, A.K.,
Peculiarities of heavy metal distribu
tion on Armenia’s territory,
Yer eva n, 20 04 .
7. Standard Operational Procedures for River Water Sample
Collection, Conservation and Storage. ISO56671, ISO
56672, ISO – 56673. Manual for Sampling Methods.
Manual for Sample Conservation and Storage. 1998,
pp. 11–43.
Table 5.
Qualitative series of geochemical stream of HMs in River Araks basin rivers
N Sampling stations Qualitative series of geochemical flow
2005
St. 5
r. Hrazdan–t. Masis Ni
(8)
Hg
(7.8)
Mn
(3.8)
Zn
(2.9)
Cd
(2.5)
Cu
(2.3)
Cr
(1.3)
Mo
(0.5)
St. 6 r. Arpa–v. Areni Cr
(12.5)
Ni
(4.2)
Mo
(1.8)
Zn
(1.2)
Mn
(1.2)
Hg
(1)
Cd
(0.8)
Cu
(0.6)
St. 7
r. Vokhchi–c. Kapan Cu
(20.1)
Cr
(20)
Mo
(12)
Cd
(10)
Mn
(2.2)
Zn
(2)
As
(2)
Ni
(1.2)
St. 8
r. Meghriget–c. Meghri Cr
(12.8)
Ni
(4.9)
Hg
(2.4)
Zn
(2.2)
Mo
(1.5)
Mo
(1.1)
Cd
(0.6)
Cu
(0.5)
St. 9
r. Gorisget–c. Goris Cr
(12)
Ni
(7)
Hg
(4.3)
Mn
(2.1)
Zn
(1.7)
Mo
(1.5)
Cd
(1.3)
Cu
(1)
St. 13
r. Vorotan–v. Vorotan Cr
(13.7)
Ni
(4)
Mo
(3)
Zn
(2.8)
Mn
(2.5)
Cu
(2.3)
Hg
(1)
Cd
(0.8)
2006
St. 5
r. Hrazdan–t. Masis As
(10.3)
Zn
(3.8)
Mn
(3.5)
Cu
(3.4)
Ni
(2.5)
Cd
(2)
Hg
(2)
Cr
(1.1)
St. 6 r. Arpa–v. Areni Cr
(12)
Ni
(1.6)
Mo
(1.1)
Zn
(0.9)
Mn
(0.7)
Hg
(1)
Cd
(0.7)
Cu
(0.7)
St. 7
r. Vokhchi–c. Kapan Cu
(23.6)
Cr
(11)
Cd
(10.5)
Mo
(8.3)
Mn
(4.3)
Zn
(3.6)
As
(3.6)
Ni
(0.4)
St. 8
r. Meghriget–c. Meghri Cr
(8.5)
Ni
(3.2)
Zn
(2)
Mn
(1.9)
Hg
(1.7)
Cu
(1.3)
Cd
(0.4)
Mo
(0.3)
St. 9
r. Gorisget–c. Goris Cr
(8.1)
Hg
(4.1)
Ni
(3.1)
Cu
(1.8)
Cd
(1.7)
Mo
(1.9)
Mn
(1.5)
Zn
(1.5)
St. 13
r. Vorotan–v. Vorotan Cr
(6.1)
As
(5.7)
Cu
(3.3)
Ni
(3)
Zn
(2.5)
Mn
(2.5)
Mo
(2.2)
Cd
(0.6)
2007
St. 5
r. Hrazdan–t. Masis As
(29.2)
Cu
(9.8)
Mn
(3.3)
Cd
(2.5)
Ni
(2.4)
Zn
(2.2)
Cr
(1.3)
Hg
(1.3)
St. 6 r. Arpa–v. Areni Cr
(14.7)
Ni
(2.4)
Cu
(2.2)
Mo
(1.2)
Zn
(1.1)
Mn
(1)
Cd
(1)
As
(0.9)
St. 7
r. Vokhchi–c. Kapan Cu
(24)
Cr
(22.2)
Mo
(8.3)
Cd
(7.6)
As
(5.8)
Mn
(1.9)
Zn
(1.1)
Ni
(0.5)
St. 8
r. Meghriget–c. Meghri Cr
(13.1)
Cu
(3.2)
Ni
(3.1)
Mn
(1.7)
Hg
(1.4)
Mo
(1.4)
Zn
(1.3)
Cd
(0.6)
St. 9
r. Gorisget–c. Goris Cr
(16.4)
Hg
(5.9)
Cu
(4.1)
Ni
(3.1)
Mo
(2.1)
Mn
(1.5)
Zn
(1.1)
Cd
(0.9)
St. 13
r. Vorotan–v. Vorotan Cr
(9.9)
As
(9.8)
Cu
(7.6)
Mn
(2.3)
Ni
(2)
Mo
(1.9)
Zn
(1.8)
Cd
(0.6)