Main Surface Waters of Ketchenerovsky and Sarpinsky Districts (Republic of Kalmykia): a 2018 Hydrochemical Survey
Goals. The article summarizes results of hydrochemical monitoring of main surface waters located in Ketchenerovsky and Sarpinsky Districts of Kalmykia. Methods. The work analyzes samples from a number of water bodies, such as the Amta-Burgusta and Archan-Zelmen reservoirs, Kara-Sala River, Lake Sal, Nugra and Suvargan Arroyos, for basic hydrochemical parameters. The lab analyses of the collected water samples included as follows: determination of hydrocarbonate ion, volumetric argonometric estimation of chloride ion indicated through sodium chromate, trilonometric determinations of sulfate and Ca ions, determination of the sum of Ca and Mg ions (total hardness of water), pH values, and dry residue. Results. The survey includes the first sampling of waters from Lake Sal located near the village of Salyn-Tugtun. In terms of salt composition, all the investigated water bodies are characterized by hardness varying between 2,5 and 10 mEq/L. The minimum value of hardness was revealed in Lake Sal, and the maximum one - in the Kara-Sal River flowing across Salyn-Tugtun village. The last-mentioned water body proved to contain ammonium salts achieving 12,3 mg/l which is far over the maximum permitted concentration, attesting to that the river is very possibly being polluted with waste waters.