Abstract
The study involved natural sulfur springs and their tributaries on the right bank of Tigris river south Mosul city at Hammam Al- Alel region. Seasonal samples were taken through a year from four locations represent: hot, cold water springs, tributaries formed, in addition to Tigris river water.
Desulfovibrio spp. were isolated from Hammam Al-Alel region, which were responsible of clear variability in water color and the sulfur deposits resulted from sulfate oxidation-reduction reactions. Bacteriological, physical, and chemical properties of this acidic sulfur springs were studied.
The study has improved that concentrations average of sulfate ions were high (255 mg/l) led to oxygen decrease and drop in pH to (5.8) compared with Tigris river pH (8.1), the study also has showed that Mg+2, Ca+2, Na+1 and K+1 ions concentrations were increased especially during summer, this caused that the environment surrounded this region became toxic, then it is non-hygienic for utilization by man, animals and cultivation