Assessment of the water quality state in the downstream portion of Syr-Darya using the water quality index arithmetic method

Abstract

This research study's overarching goal is to assess the effects of industrial (chemical components) and agricultural (Pesticide residues) activities on the Syr-Darya. This study has the following specific goals: 1. Assess the current state of Syr-Darya's water quality; 2. Examining the agricultural and industrial activities in the Syr-Darya (Kazakhstan) downstream portion. In this study we aimed to assess the current state of water quality in the downstream portion of Syr-Darya using the Water Quality Index (WQI) arithmetic method. The study specifically focuses on the effects of industrial and agricultural activities on water pollution, including metallic and non-metallic chemical components, PH, TDS, other minerals, and pesticide residues. The importance of this research lies in the lack of up-to-date evaluations of water quality classification and the potential impact of pollutants (industrial and agricultural activities) over the Syr-Darya. The literature review highlights the high levels of pollution in the river due to industries and agricultural activities. Both upstream and downstream countries contribute to the pollution, with upstream countries adding pesticides and downstream countries polluting the water through industrial activities. The research will involve collecting secondary data from existing studies on water pollution and indicators of water quality in the region. The methodology involves calculating the WQI using the Weighted Arithmetic Index Method, which provides an overall index number representing the water quality. This research is important for understanding and managing water pollution in the Syr-Darya river basin.