Impact of pollution caused by salmon breeding centers on river water quality

The expansion of aquaculture and the need for its development in tandem with environmental criteria demonstrate this importance. Among these effects is the introduction of untreated sewage from salmon breeding centers into river water, which can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems. The present study was conducted to assess the impact of salmon breeding facilities on the Iraqi Euphrates River's water quality. The physical and chemical parameters of river water were measured at ten stations during the environmental surveys to determine the scope and limits of pollution changes. Six samples were collected from each station over one year, from January 2020 to January 2021. SPSS 23 software was used to conduct statistical analyses using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's post hoc test. According to the ANOVA test's significant values, there was no statistically significant difference in the amount of TDS (p < 0.05). The remaining parameters sampled in different months exhibited significant differences (p > 0.05). Nitrate (F = 67.12), Phosphate (F = 96.53), DO (F = 22.08), BOD (F = 6.81), COD (F = 17.48) and TSS (F = 32.92) were determined to be the parameter values. The study's findings generally confirm the significant impact of fish breeding ponds on the quality of surface water resources. As a result, special attention should be prevent environmental complications through correct and principled aquaculture.