Sources and environmental impacts of Kura River pollution under anthropogenic pressures in Azerbaijan

Abstract

The Kura River is Azerbaijan’s principal river system and supports drinking-water supply, irrigation, hydropower, fisheries and riverine ecosystems. At the same time, its transboundary character and intensive human use make it vulnerable to multiple forms of pollution. This study examines the principal anthropogenic sources of Kura River pollution and their environmental implications by integrating two independently prepared research dossiers with a targeted review of scientific and institutional literature. The original research materials were based on desk research, qualitative observation and comparison of pollution problems; no new laboratory water-quality measurements were generated. The synthesis identifies four recurrent pressure groups: untreated municipal and industrial wastewater, domestic solid waste and plastics, agricultural runoff, and transboundary pollutant loads. These pressures are linked to deterioration of water quality, habitat stress, risks to aquatic organisms, potential effects on irrigation and soil quality, and exposure pathways relevant to human health. Recent studies corroborate several of the source-level observations, including downstream changes in Kura River mineralization, historically elevated metal concentrations at transboundary sites, and substantial plastic transport from the Kura-Aras basin toward the Caspian Sea. The results indicate that pollution control cannot rely on riverbank clean-up alone. Priority measures include wastewater treatment, solid-waste prevention, agricultural nutrient management, basin-scale monitoring and stronger transboundary coordination. The study provides a concise source-pathway-impact framework that can support environmental education, local monitoring and future empirical research on the Kura River.