In this interview, AZoMaterials speaks with Mrs. Saba Adil about The National Center for Water Resource Management in Iraq, and how Metrohm's Ion Chromatography System plays a key role to achieve the quality and precision required for the center's demanding research and analysis needs.
Could you provide an overview of the mission of The National Center for Water Resources Management?
The National Center for Water Resources Management has a multifaceted mission focused on the sustainable and effective management of water resources in Iraq. Our activities encompass a range of critical functions:
Firstly, we prepare and oversee the implementation of operational plans for water resources during both summer and winter seasons, ensuring close coordination with relevant ministry departments. This involves assessing water sources from major river basins, including both surface and groundwater and continuously updating our hydrological and climatic data archives.
We are also actively involved in water monitoring. This includes updating stage-discharge curves at key sites on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, installing water level and quality measurement stations, and ensuring their efficient operation. Environmental studies related to soil and water, along with comprehensive soil surveys for the soil map of Iraq and various irrigation projects, are another significant part of our work.
In addition, we conduct applied research on water quotas at Al-Raed Research Station and perform laboratory analyses of soil and water for ministry projects, students, researchers, and other ministries. Our work also extends to preparing crucial maps for monitoring dams, agricultural classification, calculating agricultural areas, tracking water bodies within Iraq, and calculating evapotranspiration.
We are also responsible for preparing maps for rainfall forecasts, temperatures, and snowwater equivalents. Moreover, we issue and monitor the ministry’s electronic scientific journal and propose and evaluate studies on water resources management, collaborating with both national and international scientific entities.
A key part of our mission involves coordinating with various departments within the center, as well as with technicians and researchers in the Ministry of Water Resources, to prepare joint research aimed at addressing current and future challenges in water resources management. We keep a close watch on climate change topics at regional and international levels, coordinating with governmental entities and providing necessary reports.
Lastly, we support postgraduate students in Iraqi universities by providing the data they need to complete their studies, following the ministry’s approval to supply such data.
Overall, our mission is to ensure the optimal management and conservation of Iraq’s water resources through a combination of rigorous scientific research, innovative technology, and strategic planning and coordination.
Image Credit: Wut_Moppie/Shutterstock.com
What are the core roles of the Center within the scope of its work in water resources management?
The center manages the surface water network in Iraq through 135 hydrological monitoring stations installed along major river sites from the beginning of Iraq's borders to the estuary. These stations operate remotely via satellite and mobile phone communication networks. The center includes a highly experienced scientific staff specializing in soil science, surface and groundwater resources, and water balance, and develops storage and operational plans for dam systems, reservoirs, and main control structures. It also conducts environmental studies related to water resources, including soil and water quality analyses, and evaluates water quality in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and major tributaries.
Additionally, the center compiles and archives all related information, maps, and reports, develops a Geographic Information System (GIS) database, and studies water basins both within and outside Iraq, including seasonal flow in valleys.
What are some of the analytical challenges currently faced by the water management sector, both in Iraq and internationally?
Natural Problems: The fact that Iraq is a downstream country presents the biggest challenge, as the main water inflows have significantly decreased due to the operational policies of upstream countries, especially the construction of large dams with high storage capacities. Additionally, the negative global climate changes in arid and semi-arid regions have led to increased drought, reduced and erratic rainfall. This issue has been escalating since 1999, with Iraq being the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change impacts.
Environmental Problems: This involves the deterioration of water quality due to pollution affecting Iraq's water sources, as well as the discharge of drainage water contaminated with chemicals and pesticides from upstream countries and domestic projects within Iraq.
Human Problems: The increasing population in Iraq and the growing demand for water in development projects and industrial consumption add an additional challenge, intensifying the water scarcity faced by the country.
Why are quality and precision important to the Center’s analytical work?
The planning and management of natural resources, particularly water and soil in Iraq, are based on the results of laboratory analyses. Therefore, the quality and accuracy of these laboratory procedures will directly affect the aforementioned management, ensuring adherence to the concept of sustainability for natural resources and compliance with the environmental limitations required for various uses.
What are some of the advantages of ion chromatography in the field of water resource management?
The laboratory division of the National Center conducts laboratory tests for salinity and cations (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) and anions (sulfate, chloride, carbonate, bicarbonate, and nitrate). These tests determine the quality of river water and assess its suitability for various uses, as well as identify the location, type, and extent of pollution. Currently, these laboratory tests are performed using volumetric and traditional methods, which are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly. However, performing these tests with an Ion Chromatography instrument would significantly reduce time, effort, and expenses, greatly enhancing the speed and accuracy of decision-making in water management.
Could you provide some examples of applications of how ion chromatography is used in the Center’s work?
The ion chromatography instrument is used to conduct laboratory tests to estimate cations and anions and to evaluate the quality of surface river water, drainage water, and groundwater.
How does data acquired via ion chromatography feed into wider decision-making around water management?
The data obtained from the ion exchange chromatography device, which includes the chemical properties of river water, are accurate and rapid compared to data obtained from traditional analytical methods. This plays a significant role in quickly and accurately determining the chemical properties of river water and assessing its suitability for irrigation purposes. The instrument can analyze multiple samples and all ions within 40 minutes, efficiently and simultaneously.
Using the ion chromatography instrument from Metrohm offers several benefits:
1. Speed of Laboratory Tests: The device can estimate cations and anions for a single sample in a maximum of forty minutes, whereas traditional volumetric and colorimetric methods take much longer.
2. Reduction in Workforce: The number of workers required to perform these tests can be reduced from six to one or two.
3. Accuracy of Results: The results obtained from the ion exchange chromatography device are more accurate compared to volumetric and colorimetric methods.
4. Additional Tests: The device can also perform additional tests for phosphates, ammonium, nitrites, and lithium.
5. High-Salinity Water Samples: The device can analyze high-salinity water samples due to its automatic dilution capability of 1:10,000, which was not typically achievable with the traditional methods previously used in the center.
Metrohm Instruments in use at the National Center for Water Resources Management. Image Credit: National Center for Water Resources Management
Why did the Center opt to work with Metrohm to help solve its analytical challenges?
The center needs to work with an advanced instrument capable of accurately and rapidly estimating all analytical requirements simultaneously. Therefore, a reputable and reliable company was chosen within reasonable costs, leading our center to select Al-Qiffaf Company, the exclusive agent for the instrument's manufacturer, Metrohm.
How important is it to work with a partner that is able to provide localized support for its analytical solutions?
The National Center's laboratories have been equipped with an ion chromatography instrument from Metrohm, supplied by the authorized agent in Iraq, Al-Qiffaf General Trading Company. This is significant because the company guarantees the installation of the instrument, training of technical staff, maintenance, replacement of spare parts, provision of special reagents, and handling of any urgent issues. The company has a specialized technical team in chromatography instruments, which greatly enhances the speed of laboratory tests and keeps the center updated with the latest technologies in ion exchange chromatography. This is deemed essential for the development of our center's laboratory operations.
How do you see the role of ion chromatography in water resource management changing in the future?
The laboratory department works on estimating positive and negative ions in water samples from rivers (Tigris, Euphrates, and Shatt al-Arab), dams, and drainage to study their chemical properties. This occurs during the water wave transition from entering Iraqi territories to reaching the estuary in Shatt al-Arab, within specific timeframes. This aims to determine the quality of river water by identifying its chemical characteristics (concentration of positive and negative ions) and assessing its quality within Iraqi standards. The device's ability to provide rapid and accurate analytical results compared to traditional analysis methods significantly aids in determining the quality of river water for irrigation suitability, identifying pollution problems, proposing solutions, and treating them effectively. Therefore, the device can adapt to any changes in water management swiftly and accurately, in addition to its capability to analyze additional ions beyond previous capabilities.
Metrohm Instruments in use at the National Center for Water Resources Management. Image Credit: National Center for Water Resources Management
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Metrohm Middle East FZC .
For more information on this source, please visit Metrohm Middle East FZC .
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