Nitrate contamination of the Lower Seyhan Plain in Turkey

Comprehensive sets of soil characteristics were examined to determine the effect of soil texture on the transport of nitrate to groundwater. A single column ion chromatography (SCIC) was used to determine the nitrate, chloride and sulphate in groundwater. Analyzed results and the maps produced showed that groundwater (GW) level, topography and distance to the drainage canal affected GW quality in all the parameters considered. An inverse relationship was observed between clay content of soil and nitrate content.