Transport of Toxic Substances into the Terek River from Central Caucasus Rivers

Abstract

This study assesses the pollution of the Terek River, one of the main water sources in Kabardino-Balkaria, which flows through the North Caucasus republics. The Terek’s waters, entering the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria from the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, are combined with the waters of the Malka River, which receives inflow from more than ten rivers, before continuing towards the Caspian Sea. Between 2021 and 2023, ongoing studies focused on the concentration of soluble compounds of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Mo, Pb, Zn, Mn) and nitrogen forms (NO₂^‒, NO₃^‒, and NH₄⁺) in the Terek River basin. To measure the concentrations, methods including atomic-absorption spectroscopy, potentiometric techniques, and spectrophotometry were employed. The actual water discharge was determined to calculate the amount of pollutants carried by the Terek River from Kabardino-Balkaria between 2021 and 2023. Based on the average water discharge over the three-year period, the transport of toxic substances (Cr, Ni, Mo, Pb, Zn, Mn, NO₂^‒, NO₃^‒, and NH₄⁺) from Kabardino-Balkaria was calculated. The results are presented in tabular form.